Human-Leopard Conflict: An Emerging Issue of North China Leopard Conservation in Tieqiaoshan Provincial Nature Reserve in Shanxi Province, China

Abstract

Livestock depredation by large carnivores is a conventional human–wildlife conflict, both at the local and regional level. Many species of wildlife have become endangered because of this conflict. In this study, an investigation of livestock depredation was conducted for the north China leopard in and around Tieqiaoshan Provincial Nature Reserve in Shanxi Province between 2015 and 2018. Data were obtained from League Cat Forest Department records. Additionally, standardized, structured, and semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect data with the help of reserve field staff. The results show that there was a significant difference (p = 0.015) in livestock depredation in various seasons of the year; the highest depredation was recorded in spring, followed by summer. A significant difference (p = 0.02) was observed between cattle and other livestock species, showing that more cattle were killed by the north China leopard. Most of the livestock depredation occurred during late morning and evening, likely because the leopards are crepuscular. Residents in and around the reserve suffered a high economic loss, ranging between RMB 5000 and 10,000 (USD 706.76–1413.53) per year in terms of the estimated market price of the killed livestock. The attitudes of residents towards the north China leopard vary according to the economic activities of the locals, with about 76% of the livestock keepers reporting that the leopard is “very dangerous” and 8% of the arable farmers in and around the reserve indicating that leopard is “very dangerous.” We recommend that a system with local participants would ensure more effective management of human-north China leopard conflict, as it would allow local communities to take greater responsibility.

Free‐ranging livestock altered the spatiotemporal behavior of the endangered North Chinese leopard (Panthera pardus japonensis) and its prey and intensified human–leopard conflicts

“…2019; Consolee et al . 2020). Although free‐ranging livestock are considered a major threat to the North Chinese leopard (Vitekere et al .…”

Influence of land use changes on landscape connectivity for North China leopard (Panthera pardus japonensis)

“…North China leopards often attack livestock grazing in and around forest areas, where livestock keeping overlaps with the leopard range. At present, North China leopards are mainly distributed in several isolated protected areas supported by camera trap surveys and other evidence (Fig.2)(Laguardia et al, 2017 ;Consolee et al, 2020 ).…”

“…Recent camera-trap surveys and other evidence revealed the presence of the North China leopard in Shanxi, Shaanxi, northern Hebei, Ningxia, and northern Henan. Most populations in these provinces are small, and occur in several isolated protected areas (Consolee et al, 2020 ). More and more attention has been paid to the protection of North China leopard.…”

“…More and more attention has been paid to the protection of North China leopard. In Tieqiaoshan Provincial Nature Reserve, Shanxi Province, studies indicated that the North China leopard is in serious conflict with the locals, causing them personal economic losses due to lack of prey (Consolee et al, 2020 ;Vitekere et al, 2020 ). The North China leopard density was 4.23 individuals/100 km 2 , the population density increased with the distribution of wild boars (Vulpes vulpe s), and decreased with the distribution of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus ) (Zhu et al, 2021 ).…”

Livestock depredations by leopards in Pir Lasura National Park, Pakistan: characteristics, control and costs

“…Consequently, conflicts with humans is a primary driver of declines in carnivore populations globally (Ripple et al 2014). These conflicts increasingly occur as an outcome of greater human activities near protected areas that harbor larger carnivore populations than adjacent areas (Consolee et al 2020, Lubis et al 2020. Communities living in or near protected areas depend on livestock for their subsistence which has resulted in an upsurge in the number of livestock, often at densities many times greater than wild prey species (Khorozyan et al 2015).…”