Data from: Characterization of puma-livestock conflicts in rangelands of central Argentina

Livestock predation is one of the major causes of conflicts between humans
and pumas (Puma concolor). Using data from interviews to ranchers and
kill-site inspections, we characterized puma-livestock conflicts in
Villarino and Patagones counties of central Argentinean rangelands.
Depredation was considered the major cause of livestock losses, and puma
attacks were reported in 46.6% and 35.4% of ranches in Villarino and
Patagones, respectively. The majority of ranches underwent losses smaller
than 1000 USD. The proportion of livestock lost to predation (0.1-10.4%)
and financial losses (5.3-1560.4 USD) per ranch/year varied across ranches
and small sheep ranches in Villarino were affected the most. Depredation
was recorded only at night and preferentially in grassland with shrubs and
cropland habitats. Although nocturnal enclosures appeared to decrease
sheep losses, puma hunting was considered the most effective form of
reducing depredation and was implemented by most ranchers. Mortality rates
were 3.7 and 1.1-1.56 individuals/year x 100km2 for sheep and pumas,
respectively. Nocturnal fencing, shepherding and spatial separation from
predators may efficiently reduce sheep losses. However, the poor
association between the intensity of puma persecution and puma-related
livestock losses suggests that conflict mitigation in central Argentina is
not only about reducing damage but also about increasing tolerance.