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 ...牲畜捕食是美洲狮（Puma concolor）与人类之间冲突的主要诱因之一。本研究通过对牧场主的访谈及捕食现场勘查获取数据，对阿根廷中部放牧草原区域的比利亚里诺（Villarino）与帕塔戈内斯（Patagones）两县内的美洲狮-牲畜冲突特征进行了系统分析。捕食被认定为牲畜损失的主要原因，比利亚里诺县与帕塔戈内斯县分别有46.6%与35.4%的牧场报告过美洲狮袭击事件。绝大多数牧场的年损失金额低于1000美元。各牧场的牲畜被捕食比例（0.1%~10.4%）以及年均经济损失（5.3~1560.4美元）存在显著差异，其中比利亚里诺县的小型绵羊牧场受影响最为严重。捕食行为仅在夜间被记录到，且优先发生在灌丛草原与农田生境中。尽管夜间围栏措施似乎能够降低绵羊的被捕食损失，但多数牧场主仍认为猎杀美洲狮是减少捕食损失的最有效手段，并已采用该措施。死亡率……