Review of methods to reduce livestock depredation: I. Guardian animals

The use of domestic animals to protect livestock was reviewed through visit s to actual users, discussions with experts and a thorough literature searc h. Costs and benefits were analysed in terms of reduced livestock losses. T he most common guardian animals are dogs, which have been shown to reduce p redation (documented mostly for coyote) by 11-100%. Livestock guardian dogs have also been used effectively against bear, wolf and cheetah. Donkeys ar e also used as guardian animals, and their effectiveness lies in their natu ral herding behaviour and aggression, especially against canids. The effect iveness of donkeys varies considerably dependent upon the predator species and the temperament of the individual donkey. Llamas are also used as a gua rdian animal, with approximately the same characteristics as the donkeys, a nd will defend themselves against most predators. The use of guardian anima ls appears to be an effective tool for reducing livestock depredation and s hould be evaluated in areas with high predation losses against the cost of changing production systems.