Predation on livestock and its influence on tolerance towards pumas in agroecosystems of the Argentine Dry Chaco

NANNI, ANA SOFÍA; TEEL, TARA; LUCHERINI, MAURO

Human Dimensions of Wildlife

Taylor & Francis

Lugar: Oxfordshire; Año: 2020 vol. 26

1087-1209

As an apex predator, pumas (Puma concolor) frequently enter into conflict with humans becauseof predation on livestock. We analyzed the association between puma predation and humantolerance in six agroecosystems of the Argentine Dry Chaco, a global deforestation hotspot.Specifically, we addressed attitudes and behaviors of local social actors toward pumas, theirassociation to reported livestock predation, and the incidence of livestock management and pumaabundance on predation on livestock. Puma predation on livestock was considered an importantcause of livestock loss. Attitudes toward pumas were negative, but were not strongly associatedwith predation. However, retaliatory hunting was more common among respondents whoexperienced livestock predation. Breeding goats and sheep and the lack of corrals increasedlivestock predation probability, which decreased with low puma abundance. Tolerance towardpumas is low in agroecosystems of this region, and further qualitative studies should address itslikely hidden causes.