Fortified corrals prevent carnivore attacks on nearby livestock too

Fortified corrals are one strategy used in Tanzania to protect both livestock and vulnerable carnivore species. But where do lions, leopards and hyenas go for dinner? Do they feed on the next herd over?  

A new study led by Colorado State University and coauthored by WildCRU’s Amy Dickman, has found that good fences truly do make good neighbours because fortified enclosures also benefit livestock keepers who live nearby. Instead of dining on easier meals next door and negatively impacting neighbours who do not have fortified enclosures, predators seem to completely avoid neighbourhoods when some corrals are built from chain-link fencing, which is more effective than traditional African boma fences made of thorny bushes.

These surprising results are the first to demonstrate a beneficial spillover effect from a strategy to reduce conflict with large carnivores, which play an important role in ecosystems. Losing apex predators can cause ripple effects that disrupt the food web and impact environmental health.

Images: Lion Landscapes

The study examined 25,000 monthly reports from livestock keepers and found that households neighbouring those with chain-link corrals also reported fewer attacks on their livestock, the first time a beneficial spillover effect has been demonstrated. 

“This research provides scientific evidence about the effectiveness of antipredation interventions, which not only reduce livestock losses but also have positive spillover effects, fostering coexistence between humans and carnivores,” said co-author Joseph Kaduma, a research manager with Lion Landscapes. “By demonstrating how non-lethal methods can benefit both people and wildlife, the study offers practical conservation solutions that can be scaled to other regions facing similar conflicts worldwide.” 

To read more about this research, published in Conservation Letters, visit: https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.13085. 

News adapted from Colorado State University’s press release.