Populations of adaptable mesopredators are expanding globally where passive rewilding and natural recolonization are taking place, increasing the risk of conflict with remaining livestock farmers. We analysed data from two social surveys of farmers in the Karoo, South Africa, where black-backed jackals (Canis mesomelas) and caracals (Caracal caracal) have re-emerged as a threat to sheep farms in the context of falling agricultural employment and the expansion of natural areas. We show that irrespective of measurement approach, lethal control of mesopredators in this fragmented socio-economic landscape was associated with increased livestock losses the following year. Terrain ruggedness was positively, and number of farmworkers negatively, associated with livestock losses. Our study provides further evidence that lethal control of mesopredators in this context is probably counter-productive and supports calls to develop, share and financially support a range of non-lethal methods to protect livestock, especially where natural recolonization of mesopredators is occurring. A graphical abstract can be found in Electronic supplementary material.

中文翻译：

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淘汰定居的中子繁殖者会增加牲畜损失：来自南非Karoo的证据。

适应性强的中指种群正在全球范围内扩展，在那里进行被动野化和自然定殖，这增加了与其余畜牧者发生冲突的风险。我们分析了来自南非Karoo农民的两次社会调查的数据，其中黑背jack狼（Canis mesomelas）和carac（Caracal caracal）在农业就业率下降和自然面积扩大的背景下再次成为对养羊场的威胁。我们表明，不管采用何种测量方法，在这种零散的社会经济环境中对中性繁殖者的致命控制都与来年的牲畜损失增加有关。地形坚固性是正面的，而农场工人的数量则是负面的，与牲畜损失有关。我们的研究提供了进一步的证据，表明在这种情况下对中指的致命控制可能适得其反，并支持呼吁发展，分享和财政支持一系列非致命方法来保护牲畜，尤其是在中指的自然再定殖的情况下。可以在电子补充材料中找到图形摘要。