Sensor-Based Detection of Predator Influence on Livestock: A Case Study Exploring the Impacts of Wild Dogs (<i>Canis familiaris</i>) on Rangeland Sheep
In Australia, wild dogs are one of the leading causes of sheep losses. A major problem with managing wild dogs in Australia’s rangeland environments is that sheep producers are often unaware of their presence until injuries or deaths are observed. One option for earlier detection of wild dogs is on-...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-01-01
|
| Series: | Animals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/3/219 |
| _version_ | 1797489589870395392 |
|---|---|
| author | Caitlin A. Evans Mark G. Trotter Jaime K. Manning |
| author_facet | Caitlin A. Evans Mark G. Trotter Jaime K. Manning |
| author_sort | Caitlin A. Evans |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In Australia, wild dogs are one of the leading causes of sheep losses. A major problem with managing wild dogs in Australia’s rangeland environments is that sheep producers are often unaware of their presence until injuries or deaths are observed. One option for earlier detection of wild dogs is on-animal sensors, such as Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking collars, to detect changes in the behaviour of sheep due to the presence of wild dogs. The current study used spatio-temporal data, derived from GPS tracking collars, deployed on sheep from a single rangeland property to determine if there were differences in the behaviour of sheep when in the presence, or absence, of a wild dog. Results indicated that the presence of a wild dog influenced the daily behaviours of sheep by increasing the daily distance travelled. Differences in sheep diurnal activity were also observed during periods where a wild dog was present or absent on the property. These results highlight the potential for on-animal sensors to be used as a monitoring tool for sheep flocks directly impacted by wild dogs, although further work is needed to determine the applicability of these results to other sheep production regions of Australia. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:18:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-499930a4d3074f5c9fc7dadf20dcf9c7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:18:47Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-499930a4d3074f5c9fc7dadf20dcf9c72023-11-23T15:46:05ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152022-01-0112321910.3390/ani12030219Sensor-Based Detection of Predator Influence on Livestock: A Case Study Exploring the Impacts of Wild Dogs (<i>Canis familiaris</i>) on Rangeland SheepCaitlin A. Evans0Mark G. Trotter1Jaime K. Manning2Institute for Future Farming Systems, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQUniversity Australia, Rockhampton, QLD 4701, AustraliaInstitute for Future Farming Systems, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQUniversity Australia, Rockhampton, QLD 4701, AustraliaInstitute for Future Farming Systems, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQUniversity Australia, Rockhampton, QLD 4701, AustraliaIn Australia, wild dogs are one of the leading causes of sheep losses. A major problem with managing wild dogs in Australia’s rangeland environments is that sheep producers are often unaware of their presence until injuries or deaths are observed. One option for earlier detection of wild dogs is on-animal sensors, such as Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking collars, to detect changes in the behaviour of sheep due to the presence of wild dogs. The current study used spatio-temporal data, derived from GPS tracking collars, deployed on sheep from a single rangeland property to determine if there were differences in the behaviour of sheep when in the presence, or absence, of a wild dog. Results indicated that the presence of a wild dog influenced the daily behaviours of sheep by increasing the daily distance travelled. Differences in sheep diurnal activity were also observed during periods where a wild dog was present or absent on the property. These results highlight the potential for on-animal sensors to be used as a monitoring tool for sheep flocks directly impacted by wild dogs, although further work is needed to determine the applicability of these results to other sheep production regions of Australia.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/3/219behaviouron-animal sensorspredationrangelandssheep |
| spellingShingle | Caitlin A. Evans Mark G. Trotter Jaime K. Manning Sensor-Based Detection of Predator Influence on Livestock: A Case Study Exploring the Impacts of Wild Dogs (<i>Canis familiaris</i>) on Rangeland Sheep Animals behaviour on-animal sensors predation rangelands sheep |
| title | Sensor-Based Detection of Predator Influence on Livestock: A Case Study Exploring the Impacts of Wild Dogs (<i>Canis familiaris</i>) on Rangeland Sheep |
| title_full | Sensor-Based Detection of Predator Influence on Livestock: A Case Study Exploring the Impacts of Wild Dogs (<i>Canis familiaris</i>) on Rangeland Sheep |
| title_fullStr | Sensor-Based Detection of Predator Influence on Livestock: A Case Study Exploring the Impacts of Wild Dogs (<i>Canis familiaris</i>) on Rangeland Sheep |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sensor-Based Detection of Predator Influence on Livestock: A Case Study Exploring the Impacts of Wild Dogs (<i>Canis familiaris</i>) on Rangeland Sheep |
| title_short | Sensor-Based Detection of Predator Influence on Livestock: A Case Study Exploring the Impacts of Wild Dogs (<i>Canis familiaris</i>) on Rangeland Sheep |
| title_sort | sensor based detection of predator influence on livestock a case study exploring the impacts of wild dogs i canis familiaris i on rangeland sheep |
| topic | behaviour on-animal sensors predation rangelands sheep |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/3/219 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT caitlinaevans sensorbaseddetectionofpredatorinfluenceonlivestockacasestudyexploringtheimpactsofwilddogsicanisfamiliarisionrangelandsheep AT markgtrotter sensorbaseddetectionofpredatorinfluenceonlivestockacasestudyexploringtheimpactsofwilddogsicanisfamiliarisionrangelandsheep AT jaimekmanning sensorbaseddetectionofpredatorinfluenceonlivestockacasestudyexploringtheimpactsofwilddogsicanisfamiliarisionrangelandsheep |