Habitat Correlates of Jaguar Kill-Sites of Cattle in Northeastern Sonora, Mexico
Predation on cattle by the endangered jaguar (Panthera onca) can be a serious ecological and economic conflict. We investigated habitat characteristics of kill sites of cattle in Sonora, Mexico, from 1999 to 2004 to see whether habitat management or cattle distribution could be used as effective non...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Utah State University
2017-02-01
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| Series: | Human-Wildlife Interactions |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/hwi/vol4/iss1/13 |
| _version_ | 1811276550434193408 |
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| author | Octavio C. Rosas-Rosas Louis C. Bender Raul Valdez |
| author_facet | Octavio C. Rosas-Rosas Louis C. Bender Raul Valdez |
| author_sort | Octavio C. Rosas-Rosas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Predation on cattle by the endangered jaguar (Panthera onca) can be a serious ecological and economic conflict. We investigated habitat characteristics of kill sites of cattle in Sonora, Mexico, from 1999 to 2004 to see whether habitat management or cattle distribution could be used as effective nonlethal methods to limit predation. Kill-sites were positively associated with oak, semitropical thornscrub, and xeric thornscrub vegetation types, whereas they were negatively associated with upland mesquite. Sites of cattle kills were also positively associated with proximity to permanent water sources and roads. A model including these relationships fi t kill locations well (AUC = 0.933) and correctly classified 93% of all kill-site locations. Because kill-sites were associated with specific habitat attributes, management practices that alter cattle distribution, such as placement of permanent water sources in uplands, herding, and fencing riparian areas characterized by frequent depredations, can be used to minimize co-occurrence of jaguars and cattle and, thus, potentially limit predation without illegal killing of jaguars. These practices could also lead to more uniform use of pastures and, consequently, higher stocking rates, resulting in increased profitability to landowners. Managing habitat attributes that predispose cattle to predation may provide a viable alternative for maintaining both livestock enterprises and a large endangered carnivore in areas of conflict. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T23:58:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f13c245e1f024e1483229eebc779f5e7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2155-3874 2155-3874 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T23:58:34Z |
| publishDate | 2017-02-01 |
| publisher | Utah State University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Human-Wildlife Interactions |
| spelling | doaj.art-f13c245e1f024e1483229eebc779f5e72022-12-22T03:11:25ZengUtah State UniversityHuman-Wildlife Interactions2155-38742155-38742017-02-014110.26077/7cx9-rn90Habitat Correlates of Jaguar Kill-Sites of Cattle in Northeastern Sonora, MexicoOctavio C. Rosas-Rosas0Louis C. Bender1Raul Valdez2Campus San Luis PotosiNew Mexico State UniversityNew Mexico State UniversityPredation on cattle by the endangered jaguar (Panthera onca) can be a serious ecological and economic conflict. We investigated habitat characteristics of kill sites of cattle in Sonora, Mexico, from 1999 to 2004 to see whether habitat management or cattle distribution could be used as effective nonlethal methods to limit predation. Kill-sites were positively associated with oak, semitropical thornscrub, and xeric thornscrub vegetation types, whereas they were negatively associated with upland mesquite. Sites of cattle kills were also positively associated with proximity to permanent water sources and roads. A model including these relationships fi t kill locations well (AUC = 0.933) and correctly classified 93% of all kill-site locations. Because kill-sites were associated with specific habitat attributes, management practices that alter cattle distribution, such as placement of permanent water sources in uplands, herding, and fencing riparian areas characterized by frequent depredations, can be used to minimize co-occurrence of jaguars and cattle and, thus, potentially limit predation without illegal killing of jaguars. These practices could also lead to more uniform use of pastures and, consequently, higher stocking rates, resulting in increased profitability to landowners. Managing habitat attributes that predispose cattle to predation may provide a viable alternative for maintaining both livestock enterprises and a large endangered carnivore in areas of conflict.https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/hwi/vol4/iss1/13cattlehabitathuman–wildlife conflictsjaguarmexicopredationsonora |
| spellingShingle | Octavio C. Rosas-Rosas Louis C. Bender Raul Valdez Habitat Correlates of Jaguar Kill-Sites of Cattle in Northeastern Sonora, Mexico Human-Wildlife Interactions cattle habitat human–wildlife conflicts jaguar mexico predation sonora |
| title | Habitat Correlates of Jaguar Kill-Sites of Cattle in Northeastern Sonora, Mexico |
| title_full | Habitat Correlates of Jaguar Kill-Sites of Cattle in Northeastern Sonora, Mexico |
| title_fullStr | Habitat Correlates of Jaguar Kill-Sites of Cattle in Northeastern Sonora, Mexico |
| title_full_unstemmed | Habitat Correlates of Jaguar Kill-Sites of Cattle in Northeastern Sonora, Mexico |
| title_short | Habitat Correlates of Jaguar Kill-Sites of Cattle in Northeastern Sonora, Mexico |
| title_sort | habitat correlates of jaguar kill sites of cattle in northeastern sonora mexico |
| topic | cattle habitat human–wildlife conflicts jaguar mexico predation sonora |
| url | https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/hwi/vol4/iss1/13 |
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