Human-Dog Relationships across Communities Surrounding Ranomafana and Andasibe-Mantadia National Parks, Madagascar

Kshirsagar, Akhil R.; Applebaum, Jennifer W.; Randriana, Zoavina; Rajaonarivelo, Tsiky; Rafaliarison, Radoniaina R.; Farris, Zach J.; Valenta, Kim

doi:10.2993/0278-0771-40.4.483

Cited by 15 publications

(23 citation statements)

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“…Dog diet on Madagascar is poorly characterized. Modern and historic surveys suggest dogs rely heavily on plant and animal scraps in human derived food waste (Decary, 1939;Kshirsagar et al, 2020). Yet dogs are also known to stalk lemurs (Brockman et al, 2008) and help humans hunt a variety of bushmeat (Supplementary Dataset 2, Decary, 1939;Garcia and Goodman, 2003;Gardner and Davies, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…comm.). Dogs are popular protection animals around Ranomafana National Park, in central Madagascar (Kshirsagar et al, 2020). However, dogs can also transmit rabies and form a general nuisance while they scavenge (Rajeev et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, dogs can also transmit rabies and form a general nuisance while they scavenge (Rajeev et al, 2019). Some dog owners have reported that their dogs harass and kill C. ferox around Ranomafana (Valenta et al, 2016;Kshirsagar et al, 2020). Data from live traps and camera traps suggest that C. ferox avoids dogs in several national parks (Figure 1), which may follow from a combination of aggressive interactions and disease transmission (Dollar et al, 2007;Barcala, 2009;Gerber et al, 2012;Farris et al, 2015;Pomerantz et al, 2016;Rasambainarivo et al, 2017;Merson et al, 2019a).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ecological Consequences of a Millennium of Introduced Dogs on Madagascar

et al. 2021

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Introduced predators currently threaten endemic animals on Madagascar through predation, facilitation of human-led hunts, competition, and disease transmission, but the antiquity and past consequences of these introductions are poorly known. We use directly radiocarbon dated bones of introduced dogs (Canis familiaris) to test whether dogs could have aided human-led hunts of the island’s extinct megafauna. We compare carbon and nitrogen isotope data from the bone collagen of dogs and endemic “fosa” (Cryptoprocta spp.) in central and southwestern Madagascar to test for competition between introduced and endemic predators. The distinct isotopic niches of dogs and fosa suggest that any past antagonistic relationship between these predators did not follow from predation or competition for shared prey. Radiocarbon dates confirm that dogs have been present on Madagascar for over a millennium and suggest that they at least briefly co-occurred with the island’s extinct megafauna, which included giant lemurs, elephant birds, and pygmy hippopotamuses. Today, dogs share a mutualism with pastoralists who also occasionally hunt endemic vertebrates, and similar behavior is reflected in deposits at several Malagasy paleontological sites that contain dog and livestock bones along with butchered bones of extinct megafauna and extant lemurs. Dogs on Madagascar have had a wide range of diets during the past millennium, but relatively high stable carbon isotope values suggest few individuals relied primarily on forest bushmeat. Our newly generated data suggest that dogs were part of a suite of animal introductions beginning over a millennium ago that coincided with widespread landscape transformation and megafaunal extinction.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ecological Consequences of a Millennium of Introduced Dogs on Madagascar

et al. 2021

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“…Furthermore, human attitudes and behaviors toward dogs can influence the impact of dogs on wildlife. Fady (local taboos) are cultural guidelines that regulate behaviors and influence all aspects of life in Madagascar, including natural resource management (Golden & Comaroff, 2015; Kshirsagar et al, 2020). Fady can range from actions that are completely taboo to socially discouraged, and local levels of adherence to different fady may shift over time (Golden & Comaroff, 2015; Jones et al, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Fady can range from actions that are completely taboo to socially discouraged, and local levels of adherence to different fady may shift over time (Golden & Comaroff, 2015; Jones et al, 2008). Communities in or near protected areas have more wildlife‐related fady that influence the interactions between humans and the environment in these biodiversity‐rich regions (Kshirsagar et al, 2020; Sodikoff, 2011). Fady are highly variable across space, meaning the relationships between humans, dogs, and wildlife can also vary greatly over relatively small areas due to cultural differences.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wildlife predation by dogs in Madagascar

et al. 2021

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Human–wildlife conflicts are increasing in number and intensity making conflict mitigation and coexistence a top priority for wildlife conservation. Domesticated dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) can mitigate or exacerbate human–wildlife conflict leading to positive and negative impacts on both humans and wildlife. However, the human–dog–wildlife interface is not well understood, particularly in biodiversity hot spots. Madagascar is a tropical biodiversity hot spot with many rare and threatened species of high conservation concern. Here we assess wildlife predation by free‐roaming dogs in communities surrounding Andasibe–Mantadia and Ranomafana National Parks in eastern Madagascar using surveys of dog owners living adjacent to protected areas. Nearly half of survey respondents reported that their dog(s) had killed wildlife. Dogs that spent more time away from home, that traveled to the forest more frequently, that had killed domestic livestock, and that were owned for hunting were more likely to have killed wildlife. Dogs that were fed were approximately 20% less likely to have killed wildlife than dogs that were not fed. Keeping dogs restrained more often and providing food are therefore likely to reduce wildlife predation by dogs provided these are socially acceptable options. Additionally, we found spatial variation in wildlife predation by dogs both between and within our two study regions. These results can help conservation organizations develop targeted, effective interventions appropriately tailored to the local context and prioritize specific areas with higher wildlife predation by dogs. Abstract in French is available with online material.

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Free‐ranging dogs and their owners: Evaluating demographics, husbandry practices and local attitudes towards canine management and dog–wildlife conflict

Marshall,

Gore,

Ngoprasert

et al. 2023

Integrative Conservation

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Domestic dogs, numbering over 900 million worldwide, are commonly kept as service animals and companions. However, their interactions with wildlife have become a growing concern for conservation biologists studying human–wildlife conflicts. It has been reported that domestic dogs pose threats to at least 188 wildlife species, a figure that is likely underestimated. In regions like Southeast Asia, the actual impact could be up to five times the current estimates suggest. This study was designed to explore community perspectives on dog–wildlife conflict within protected areas in rural Thailand, focusing on dog husbandry and promoting effective population management strategies. To gather data on dog ownership, management practices and community perspectives on dog–wildlife conflicts, a structured questionnaire survey was conducted amongst households in settlements surrounding protected areas in Northern Thailand. The survey revealed a widespread presence of domestic dogs in rural Thailand, with half of all households owning dogs and over 40% of these dogs having unrestricted movements. Despite this high prevalence, the impacts of dog–wildlife conflicts were not widely recognised by respondents in the study area. Respondents agreed that dog owners were responsible for controlling their own dogs, while local governments were responsible for controlling dog populations. The most popular management options for dog populations were nonlethal methods, including free vaccinations and sterilisation for owned dogs and trap‐neuter‐vaccinate‐return programmes for strays. The lack of awareness among respondents about dog–wildlife conflicts highlights the need for educational activities on the impacts of free‐ranging domestic dogs. Protected area managers must enforce dog‐free policies within these zones to mitigate the potential threats to vulnerable wildlife populations. However, the lack of veterinary practices in the area represents a significant challenge to effective dog population management. Developing strategies to overcome this issue is crucial. Overall, the findings suggest that effective dog population management requires a collaborative approach between dog owners, local governments and conservation managers.

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Human-Dog Relationships across Communities Surrounding Ranomafana and Andasibe-Mantadia National Parks, Madagascar

Abstract: BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access titles in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses.

Cited by 15 publications

References 63 publications

Ecological Consequences of a Millennium of Introduced Dogs on Madagascar

Ecological Consequences of a Millennium of Introduced Dogs on Madagascar

Wildlife predation by dogs in Madagascar

Free‐ranging dogs and their owners: Evaluating demographics, husbandry practices and local attitudes towards canine management and dog–wildlife conflict

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