Old-fashioned shepherding: a solution to livestock predation?

Heidi Hawkins, research fellow, honorary research associate at the University of Cape Town, writes about how shepherding could help farmers stave off predator attacks on their livestock

- Heidi Hawkins

Carnivores such as leopards, lions and hyenas have been killing livestock for centuries, causing financial losses to farmers. In many parts of the world, farmers respond by killing these predators. This has greatly reduced the populations of some top predators such as leopards and lions.

Killing predators may decrease their numbers in the short term. But there is no evidence that it is an effective way to protect livestock in the long term.

For example, in South Africa, populations of medium-sized predators such as caracals and jackals that also prey on livestock increased or migrated into the area in response to lethal control efforts.

For this reason, farmers in South Africa are looking at non-lethal methods of protecting livestock. One sustainable, wildlife-friendly method is the age-old practice of herding or shepherding.

THE VALUE OF SHEPHERDS

Very little data exists on how shepherding compares with lethal methods globally or in South Africa. We conducted a study in South Africa to fill this information gap and found that shepherding was very effective.

Our results suggest that shepherds not only reduce predation; they may also be able to give a clearer picture of what causes livestock deaths. For instance, shepherds can see when livestock deaths are caused by illness rather than predation.

This is supported by other research which shows that predators may be blamed for livestock deaths that were actually due to exposure, illness or some other cause.