Does livestock predation reflect in negative local perceptions of Ethiopian wolves in South Wollo?

The conservation of rare and endangered carnivores in human dominated landscapes is particularly challenging when predators are perceived as a threat to livestock. This study verifies whether the human perception of Ethiopian wolves as predators of livestock accurately reflects the actual damage done by this specialist predator of highland rodents. With that purpose, we quantified the contributions of prey species, including livestock, to the diet of Ethiopian wolves by analysing 118 scats. We then compared them to the reported livestock losses and attitudes in 300 households surrounding wolf habitat in the highlands of South Wollo in north Ethiopia. We found 10 prey species, totalling 222 prey occurrences in the study sample. The most common prey were diurnal rodents, with 79.2% of all prey occurrences. Only 5.4% were livestock (sheep) remains, a result similar to that obtained in other wolf populations. The proportion of households reportedly affected by Ethiopian wolf predation was relatively low (17%), and these households lost an average of 1.0 sheep per year over the previous five years. Even though the proportion of households affected by livestock predation was relatively low, 88% of the households that reported losing sheep to Ethiopian wolves had a negative perception of the species, compared with only 9% of the households unaffected. Clearly current levels of livestock predation in South Wollo lead to widespread negative attitudes among the people affected, an emerging problem that requires the attention of conservationists and wildlife authorities

Risico's voor vogels in landbouwgebieden ten gevolge van blootstelling aan granulaten en behandeld zaaizaad

Available at the CML library, P.O.Box 9518, 2300 RA Leiden<br>Voordat een bestrijdingsmiddel op de Nederlandse markt wordt toegelaten, wordt onderzocht in hoeverre het gebruik van de stof risico's kan opleveren voor niet-doelwit organismen. In dit rapport wordt verslag gedaan van een onderzoek waarin is nagegaan in hoeverre het gebruik van bestrijdingsmiddelen, in de vorm van granulaten of zaaizaadbehandelingsmiddelen, mogelijke risico's met zich meebrengt voor vogels. Als bij toepassing behandelde zaden of granulaten aan het oppervlak van een akker blijven liggen, kunnen ze om twee redenen door vogels worden opgepikt: zaden worden gezien als voedsel of granulaten en gepileerde zaden kunnen worden gezien als potentieel grit (maalsteentjes in de maag die helpen bij de vertering van het voedsel). Voor het bepalen van de risico's van het gebruik van granulaten en zaaizaadbehandelingsmiddelen bestaan bij de risico-evaluatie een aantal kennislacunes. Allereerst is niet bekend wat het gritgebruik is van akkervogels in Nederland en daarnaast is onbekend hoeveel zaden na het zaaien aan het oppervlak blijven liggen. In dit rapport wordt het grit van een aantal akkervogels beschreven, de mate van gelijkenis van grit en granulaten/gepileerd zaad wordt vastgesteld en een schatting van het hieruit resulterende risico wordt gegeven. Daarnaast geeft het rapport de aantallen (percentages) zaden die aan het oppervlak achterblijven na het zaaien van verschillende gewassen, een analyse van de factoren die deze aantallen kunnen beinvloeden en de verwerking hiervan in de risicoschatting.Before a pesticide is approved for use on the Dutch market, an assessment must be made of the risk of its use to non-target organisms. This study considers the extent to which use of pesticides, in the form of granules or seed-treatment agents, constitutes a potential risk to birds. If treated seeds or granules remain on the field surface after drilling, they may be picked up by birds for two reasons: seeds may be taken for food, or granules and pelleted seeds may be taken for potential grit (small stones used by birds to grind their food). There are presently a number of gaps in the knowledge required to assess the risk of using such granules and seed-treatment agents. First of all, nothing is known about the grit consumption of farmland birds in the Netherlands. In addition, it is unknown what proportion of seeds remains on the surface after drilling. This study describes the grit particles consumed by farmland birds, it establishes their resemblance to granules and pelleted seeds, and an assessment of the potential risk is presented. In addition estimates of the number of seeds remaining available to birds at the soil surface after drilling various crops are given ; an analysis of the factors that can influence the numbers remaining at the soil surface is carried out ; and the incorporation of these results in the risk assessment procedure are discussed.DGM/DWLDGM/SV

Does livestock predation reflect in negative local perceptions of Ethiopian wolves in South Wollo?

The conservation of rare and endangered carnivores in human dominated landscapes is particularly challenging when predators are perceived as a threat to livestock. This study verifies whether the human perception of Ethiopian wolves as predators of livestock accurately reflects the actual damage done by this specialist predator of highland rodents. With that purpose, we quantified the contributions of prey species, including livestock, to the diet of Ethiopian wolves by analysing 118 scats. We then compared them to the reported livestock losses and attitudes in 300 households surrounding wolf habitat in the highlands of South Wollo in north Ethiopia. We found 10 prey species, totalling 222 prey occurrences in the study sample. The most common prey were diurnal rodents, with 79.2% of all prey occurrences. Only 5.4% were livestock (sheep) remains, a result similar to that obtained in other wolf populations. The proportion of households reportedly affected by Ethiopian wolf predation was relatively low (17%), and these households lost an average of 1.0 sheep per year over the previous five years. Even though the proportion of households affected by livestock predation was relatively low, 88% of the households that reported losing sheep to Ethiopian wolves had a negative perception of the species, compared with only 9% of the households unaffected. Clearly current levels of livestock predation in South Wollo lead to widespread negative attitudes among the people affected, an emerging problem that requires the attention of conservationists and wildlife authorities