Landscapes of coexistence – Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) behaviour in a livestock-dominated landscape

Summary

The potential for large carnivores, people and their livestock to coexist, in a ‘landscape of coexistence’, is formed by the interactions between people, the environment and carnivore behaviour. Understanding how carnivores behave in response to the risks posed by people and their livestock can help facilitate the development of strategies to lessen livestock losses. In my thesis I answer the questions: Where and when do human-carnivore conflicts occur and how do carnivores behaviourally respond to human-induced risk associated with livestock? I addressed these questions for cheetah in a livestock-dominated landscape of Botswana. I found differences in cheetah activity patterns, their relationships with other carnivores, and potentially movement between areas with and without livestock and its associated risk. This indicates that cheetahs may adapt their behaviour in response to people and their livestock. Although this may allow them to coexist with people, future research would determine what the costs are of such changes in behaviour to conserve free-ranging carnivore populations.