Human-carnivore encounters are common where humans and wild carnivores share the same landscape. The frequency of such encounters gives insight regarding carnivore density and might correlate with human-carnivore conflict incidences. We interviewed livestock owners in the eastern Serengeti ecosystem and recorded reported carnivore presence and relative abundance. We simultaneously conducted a carnivore survey to assess the potential variability of reported carnivore presence that was recorded during the surveys. The playback surveys attracted 9 lions (Panthera leo), 88 spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) and 47 black-backed jackals (Canis mesomelas schmidti) to 12 call-in stations which were resurveyed three times (36 playbacks in total). Reported encounters with lions, leopards (Panthera pardus), cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus), spotted hyenas, African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) and jackals were higher closer to the Serengeti National Park (SNP). Data from carnivore surveys were positively correlated with what people reported in questionnaires. These results indicate that local reports of encounters with wild carnivores may act as an important indicator of carnivore presence. Combining observational data through surveys with data reported by local people in areas where humans and wild carnivores coexist may improve existing data on carnivore abundance and distribution in such areas.

食肉动物的遭遇很常见，人类和野生食肉动物共享同一景观。此类相遇的频率可提供有关食肉动物密度的见识，并可能与食肉动物冲突发生率相关。我们采访了塞伦盖蒂东部生态系统中的牲畜所有者，并记录了食肉动物的存在和相对丰富度。我们同时进行了食肉动物调查，以评估调查期间记录的所报告食肉动物存在的潜在变异性。回放调查吸引了9头狮子（Panthera leo），88头斑鬣狗（Crocuta crocuta）和47头黑背jack（Canis mesomelas schmidti）到12个呼入电台，对它们进行了3次复查（共播放36次）。据报告，与狮子，豹子（豹），猎豹（猎豹），斑鬣狗，非洲野狗（Lycaon pictus）和jack狼的相遇距离塞伦盖蒂国家公园（SNP）更近。食肉动物调查的数据与人们在调查表中报告的数据呈正相关。这些结果表明，当地有关野生食肉动物遭遇的报道可能是食肉动物存在的重要指标。通过将调查的观测数据与人类和野生食肉动物共存地区的当地人报告的数据相结合，可以改善这些地区食肉动物丰度和分布的现有数据。