David Macdonald

Understanding the ecological and human factors that shape the loss of livestock to wild carnivores can help target conservation efforts. We used 5 years of livestock depredation records (2009–2013, n = 1147) alongside Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe, to investigate how spatial patterns vary by carnivore and livestock species. Dominant patterns across all species and seasons included an increased likelihood of depredation closer to protected areas (core carnivore habitat) and in more open areas closer to human settlements (where livestock are most abundant). Lions were less likely than spotted hyenas to attack livestock further from protected areas, while goat and donkey depredation was more concentrated around homesteads compared to cattle depredation. Leopards were more likely than other predators to attack livestock in areas of higher human density and nearer water sources, likely reflecting their preference for goats and sheep which generally remain near homesteads unless taken to watering holes. Carnivores make trade‐offs between attacking livestock where it is most available (near human settlements) and where the risk of detection and retaliation by humans is lower (nearer protected areas, in more wooded habitats, and further from human activity). These results have helped target local mitigation strategies. They may also inform human–wildlife conflict mitigation at other sites globally by highlighting the need to understand species‐specific differences in conflict patterns and tailor solutions accordingly. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Although the spotted hyaena ( Crocuta crocuta ) has been widely considered to be resilient to human disturbance, the species is now thought to be undergoing widespread population declines. Nevertheless, only a handful of population density estimates are available for the species, despite the importance of this information for informing conservation management. This is a consequence of both a lack of surveys and logistical challenges associated with processing spotted hyaena data. In this study, we collaborated with a cohort of students to process camera trap data from the Ruaha‐Rungwa landscape initially collected to estimate lion ( Panthera leo ) and leopard ( Panthera pardus ) population density. By doing so, we provide the first spatially explicit population density estimates for spotted hyaena in Tanzania, via spatially explicit capture‐recapture (SECR) modelling. We also examine the relationship between population densities of spotted hyaena, lion and leopard at each site. Spotted hyaena densities varied from 3.55 ± 0.72 adults and sub‐adults per 100 km 2 in a miombo ( Brachystegia ‐ Julbernardia ) woodland area of Ruaha National Park, to 10.80 ± 1.08 per 100 km 2 in a prey‐rich open woodland savannah habitat in Ruaha National Park, with intermediate densities recorded in Rungwa Game Reserve and MBOMIPA Wildlife Management Area. Our results suggest that spotted hyaena density is influenced by prey availability and protection, and the species may be less resilient to human pressures than widely thought. Spotted hyaena densities were generally positively correlated with densities of lion and leopard, suggesting that prey availability and anthropogenic disturbance had a greater impact than interspecific effects in shaping large carnivore densities in this system. Overall, our study provides some of the first insights into an under‐studied species in an under‐researched part of its range, while shedding light into the impact of anthropogenic versus interspecific effects in shaping population status of spotted hyaena in human‐impacted African systems.