Innovative Methods to Reduce Predation and Achieve Coexistence between Predators and Prey

Dear Colleagues,

Decline in species populations can be partially or totally due to predation, which can be caused by invasive and native species, and is sometimes driven by human activities such as habitat destruction and fragmentation or unintentional food supplementation of predators. Recently, a new discipline called "coexistence conservation" has been proposed within conservation science, which brings together recent innovations and concepts to address the coexistence of predators and threatened prey through the development of non-lethal measures. This new approach aims to promote the adaptation of threatened fauna through the use of innovative tactics based on evolutionary processes that aim for the long-term coexistence between predators and prey by either reducing the predation of predators (through e.g., conditioned taste aversion, chemical camouflage, odour repellence, Automated Behavioural Response (ABR) systems, aversive conditioning) or by improving the adaptation of prey species to coexist with its predators (through e.g., animal pre-conditioning, in situ adaptation, targeted gene flow).

The aim of this Special Issue is to bring together the latest findings concerning the innovative tools and field experiments that address predation control by using methods that do not use the control of predator populations. Original research papers, as well as literature reviews from different research areas, such as biological conservation, wildlife management, animal translocation, policy, invasive species, animal welfare and animal behaviour with a link to prey management and conservation are also invited. Papers on additional topics and interdisciplinary studies regarding the effects of human activities that modulate or affect the predator–prey relationship and compare the effectiveness of lethal and non-lethal methods will also be considered.

Dr. Jorge Tobajas
Guest Editor

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• biological conservation
• wildlife management
• coexistence conservation
• predation control
• non-lethal methods
• predator–prey relationships
• chemical camouflage
• conditioned taste aversion
• animal pre-conditioning
• aversive conditioning

Title: Human-Carnivore Conflict by Predation: The Potential of Conditioned Food Aversion
Authors: Jorge Tobajas
Affiliation: Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain
Abstract: Since prehistoric times, humans and wildlife have been in competition for vital resources, including food, shelter, and, more recently, crops, livestock, and game species. Historically, to address the threat predators posed to these resources, humans have taken measures to control populations of species considered harmful or pests, particularly predators. However, contemporary society increasingly demands a more sustainable approach to predator management that does not necessitate the killing of these animals. One promising and innovative method in this regard is Conditioned Food Aversion (CFA). This paper delves into the various conflicts arising from predator species' predation and examines the potential of CFA as a valuable tool for mitigating these conflicts. It places a special emphasis on toxicology and presents specific outcomes in various contexts up to the present day.

Title: Sixty Degrees of Solutions: Techniques That Reduce Jaguar Depredation on Livestock To Enhance Human-Jaguar Coexistence
Authors: John Polisar; Rafael Hoogesteijn; Antonio de la Torre; Rony Garcia; Esteban Payan; Fernando Tortato; Laura Villalba; Maria del Carmen Fleytas; Leonardo Maffei; Fabricio Diaz Santos; Roberto Salom; Ricardo Moreno; Wezddy del Toro; Diego Viana; Paul Raad; Yina Sema; Ricardo Ortiz; Carlos Valderrama; Almira Hoogesteijn; Daniel Corrales
Affiliation: 1. Wildlife Conservation Society, Jaguar Conservation Program, Bronx, New York, United States of America. 2. Department of Environment and Development, Zamorano Biodiversity Center, Zamorano University, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
Abstract: The current range of the jaguar (Panthera onca) covers about 7,000,000km², approximately sixty degrees of latitude, and eighteen countries in the Western Hemisphere. Throughout this geographical breadth jaguars represent an important component of native biological diversity and serve as an indicator of relatively intact ecosystems. The wide-ranging species often overlaps in space with humans, and conflict revolving around jaguar predation on livestock is a factor in jaguar mortality across this vast expanse. Technologies and practices have been developed that can reduce the frequency of jaguar depredation across the entire spectrum of livestock operations and ecosystems. We present field tested methods that work across the multiple biomes that constitute jaguar range, providing recommendations for technologies tailored to the scale of operations and the ecological and cultural context in which they occur.