Livestock Guardian Dogs Tompkins Conservation Wildlife Bulletin Number 2, March 2017

LIVESTOCK GUARDIAN DOGS TOMPKINS CONSERVATION WILDLIFE BULLETIN NUMBER 2, MARCH 2017 Livestock vs. Predators TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction to an historical conflict and its mitigation PAGE 01 through the use of livestock guardian dogs Livestock vs. Predators: Introduction to an historical conflict and its mitigation through the use Since humans began domesti- stock and wild predators. Histor- of livestock guardian dogs cating animals, it has been nec- ically, humans have attempted PAGE 04 essary to protect livestock from to resolve this conflict through Livestock Guardian Dogs, wild predators. To this day, pre- a series of predator population an Ancient Tool in dation of livestock is one of the control measures including the Modern Times most prominent global hu- use of traps, hunting, and indis- PAGE 06 man-wildlife conflicts. Interest- criminate and nonselective poi- What Is the Job of a ingly, one of our most ancient soning—methods which are of- Livestock Guardian Dog? domestic companions, the dog, ten cruel and inefficient. was once a predator. One of the greatest chal- PAGE 07 The competition between lenges lies in successfully im- Breeds of Livestock man and wildlife for natural plementing effective measures Guardian Dogs spaces and resources is often that mitigate the negative im- PAGE 08 considered the main source of pacts of this conflict. It is imper- The Presence of Livestock conflict between domestic live- ative to ensure the protection of Guardian Dogs in Chile WILDLIFE BULLETIN NUMBER 2 MARCH 2017 man and his resources, includ- tion in predators is lower than PAGE 10 ing livestock, without compro- that of the United States, where Livestock in the Chacabuco Valley mising the conservation of the the losses are due to a variety of and the Transition Toward the Future Patagonia National Park native biodiversity. Every species predator species (Figure 1). It is plays a key role in the regula- also necessary to acknowledge PAGE 11 tion of the ecosystems that they that many farmers do not re- Livestock Guardian Dogs: (and we) inhabit and, as such, port their losses. Some U.S. states A Fix to the Challenges of Modern Conservation their survival must be protect- compensate for predator deaths, ed. Additionally, it is important but only with on-site verification PAGE 13 to note that the majority of na- of a predator attack. The Measured Effect tive species, such as foxes and In addition, one recurring of Livestock Guardian Dogs puma, are under legal protec- example of the human-wildlife on Sheep Survival Rates tion by the state of Chile. conflict in Chile is the predation PAGE 15 The economic losses caused of domesticated livestock. Among Impact and Results by predators are frequently one the species commonly involved of the Program of the main reasons sheep and are native wild carnivores such PAGE 17 goat producers abandon their as the culpeo fox (Lycalopex cul- Challenges in the livestock-rearing efforts or paeus), chilla fox (Lycalopex gri- Implementation of the Livestock keep them at a subsistent level. seus), puma (Puma concolor), and Guardian Dog Program It is estimated that in the Unit- even introduced species such as PAGE 19 ed States at least 250,000 sheep the domesticated dog (Canis lupus The People Behind the Care and 150,000 goats die annual- familiaris) and American mink and Management of the Dogs: ly as a resultPérdidas of predation de (Vorvinos- (Neovison aprinos vison). This por conflict • José Calderón Montecinos wald, 2007). In Chile, the varia- generates significant econom- • Eduardo Castro Ibáñez Predador specífico en stados nidos • Víctor Hernán Chacón PAGE 21 Predator Amount Percentage Technical Notes: Livestock Guardian Dogs Coyotes 135,600 60. Dogs 29,800 13. Pumas 12,700 5. Lynxes 11,100 4.9 Bears 8,500 3. Eagles 6,300 2. Foxes 4,200 1.9 Others 16,000 .1 Total 224.200 100 Figure 1. Ovine and caprine animal losses in the United States, organized by specific predator. PAGE 2 WILDLIFE BULLETIN NUMBER 2 MARCH 2017 ic losses for small, medium, and large-scale farmers alike. Addition- auses of doestic sheep predation ally, livestock predation can jeopar- dize the conservation of these wild in the ysén Reion (%) carnivores, largely through illegal hunting. There is little data available at 9 the national level with regards to Culpeo ox predator-livestock dynamics. At the 15 regional level, a survey of the impact Wild ogs of predators on sheep carried out in 54 the Aysén region in 2007 (Iriarte, Mink 2007) found that more than 50% of 23 Puma losses were associated with foxes, followed by 23% of losses attribut- able to feral dogs, 15% to mink, and 9% to puma (Figure 2). More recently, through the Figure 2. Causes of domestic sheep predation in the Aysén analysis of livestock losses report- region, according to farmer observations, 2007. ed to the Agricultural and Live- stock Service, dogs, foxes, and pu- causes of livestock mortality, with region (Figure 3) (Acosta-Jamett, mas have been shown to be the main percentages varying according to 2014). For the Aysén region, more losses are attributed to native predators, such as puma and foxes. Percentage o small cattle predation, Historically, the conflict be- reported y region tween predators and ranchers, both worldwide and in Chile, has been 14 managed through culling predator Puma populations. Despite this the con- 12 Fo flict has not been resolved, and in many cases has even been aggravat- 10 Dog ed by such practices. Recently, the use of non-lethal, predator-friendly 8 methods, such as livestock guard- 6 ian dogs, have gained increased ac- ceptance among ranchers. ◊ 4 2 0 rica Paninacota Coquibo raucanía Aysén Figure 3. Percentage of small cattle predation, reported by region in Chile. Percentages are calculated using a baseline of the total number of animals reported to the Chilean Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) in each region in 2014. PAGE 3 WILDLIFE BULLETIN NUMBER 2 MARCH 2017 Livestock Guardian Dogs, an Ancient Tool in Modern Times Livestock guardian dogs are medium to large-sized dogs that protect livestock herds from predator at- tacks. They live permanently with the flock and regard the flock as their companions or family, protecting them against all threats. Livestock guardian dogs orig- inated thousands of years ago in Central Europe and Asia to help herders protect their sheep and goats from predators such as bears, gray wolves, and lynx. The earliest references to the domestication of sheep and goats date back to 8000 BC. There are records from 3585 BC of shepherd dogs among the flocks of nomadic Sumerians. Livestock guardian dogs have primarily been used to protect flocks of sheep and goats, though it is also common to find them protecting other animals, such as cattle, livestock guardian dogs have ris- ian dog use has spread widely to horses, deer, llamas, alpacas, poul- en in popularity. It is estimated Canada, South America, Africa, and try, and ostriches. Historically, dogs that there are currently more than Australia. were important castle guardians one thousand livestock guardian Guardian dogs have demon- and were even used for the protec- dogs working in the Alps (Gehring, strated their value and effective- tion of fruit trees, equipment, and 2010), with more worldwide due to ness, protecting domestic herds human families. the global reintroduction of pred- against wolves, bears, wolverines, As a result of the extermina- ators and the increase in wild dogs. pumas, foxes, dingoes, coyotes, feral tion and decline of many of Europe’s Livestock guardian dogs were dogs, birds of prey, and even chee- predators, along with the migra- introduced to North America in the tahs and leopards. tion of people to the cities and the 1970s, after the government banned Livestock guardian dogs have collectivization of agriculture in the use of poisons for the control been bred to be harmless to the communist regimes, use of live- and extermination of predators. The herd, to exhibit friendly behav- stock guardian dogs began to dis- dogs’ incorporation was success- ior and appearance (ex. drooping appear. In addition, product of the ful, demonstrating a reduction in ears) and to move calmly and slow- World War II, these protective rac- sheep depredation by at least 11% ly around the herd. They have a es met severely diminished. to as much as 100% (Gehring, 2010). low metabolism and therefore do Due to the gradual recovery of In this context and as a result of not eat much, which is a consider- large predator species in Europe, their effectiveness, livestock guard- able economic advantage. They have PAGE 4 WILDLIFE BULLETIN NUMBER 2 MARCH 2017 superior senses of sight, smell, and instead, they imprint with the do- trainable and obedient. They cannot hearing. The dogs interact with the mesticated species that are in need be trusted to manage herds with- shepherd, but are capable of making of protection. out human supervision. Among their own decisions and functioning Livestock guardian dogs are not the most popular of such breeds in independently, as they are raised to to be confused with shepherd/herd- Chile are the Border Collie, the Brie live and work with the flock without ing dogs. The latter are also work- Shepherd, the Australian Kelpie, and close human supervision. ing dogs, but perform a different the Magellan Sheepdog. These dogs It is important to understand function: moving herds from one complement the work of livestock that the training of a livestock place to another. The appearance guardian dogs in the management guardian dog is based on provid- and behavior of shepherd dogs is of the herd. ◊ ing an environment where the dog very different.

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