Innovative Methods to Reduce Predation and Achieve Coexistence between Predators and Prey

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Ecology and Conservation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2025 | Viewed by 344

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain
Interests: biological conservation; wildlife management; coexistence conservation; predation control; animal ecology; behavioural ecology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Decline in species populations can be partially or totally due to predation, which can be caused by invasive and native species, and is sometimes driven by human activities such as habitat destruction and fragmentation or unintentional food supplementation of predators. Recently, a new discipline called "coexistence conservation" has been proposed within conservation science, which brings together recent innovations and concepts to address the coexistence of predators and threatened prey through the development of non-lethal measures. This new approach aims to promote the adaptation of threatened fauna through the use of innovative tactics based on evolutionary processes that aim for the long-term coexistence between predators and prey by either reducing the predation of predators (through e.g., conditioned taste aversion, chemical camouflage, odour repellence, Automated Behavioural Response (ABR) systems, aversive conditioning) or by improving the adaptation of prey species to coexist with its predators (through e.g., animal pre-conditioning, in situ adaptation, targeted gene flow).

The aim of this Special Issue is to bring together the latest findings concerning the innovative tools and field experiments that address predation control by using methods that do not use the control of predator populations. Original research papers, as well as literature reviews from different research areas, such as biological conservation, wildlife management, animal translocation, policy, invasive species, animal welfare and animal behaviour with a link to prey management and conservation are also invited. Papers on additional topics and interdisciplinary studies regarding the effects of human activities that modulate or affect the predator–prey relationship and compare the effectiveness of lethal and non-lethal methods will also be considered.

Dr. Jorge Tobajas
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • biological conservation
  • wildlife management
  • coexistence conservation
  • predation control
  • non-lethal methods
  • predator–prey relationships
  • chemical camouflage
  • conditioned taste aversion
  • animal pre-conditioning
  • aversive conditioning

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers

This special issue is now open for submission, see below for planned papers.

Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Title: Human-Carnivore Conflict by Predation: The Potential of Conditioned Food Aversion
Authors: Jorge Tobajas
Affiliation: Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain
Abstract: Since prehistoric times, humans and wildlife have been in competition for vital resources, including food, shelter, and, more recently, crops, livestock, and game species. Historically, to address the threat predators posed to these resources, humans have taken measures to control populations of species considered harmful or pests, particularly predators. However, contemporary society increasingly demands a more sustainable approach to predator management that does not necessitate the killing of these animals. One promising and innovative method in this regard is Conditioned Food Aversion (CFA). This paper delves into the various conflicts arising from predator species' predation and examines the potential of CFA as a valuable tool for mitigating these conflicts. It places a special emphasis on toxicology and presents specific outcomes in various contexts up to the present day.

Title: Sixty Degrees of Solutions: Techniques That Reduce Jaguar Depredation on Livestock To Enhance Human-Jaguar Coexistence
Authors: John Polisar; Rafael Hoogesteijn; Antonio de la Torre; Rony Garcia; Esteban Payan; Fernando Tortato; Laura Villalba; Maria del Carmen Fleytas; Leonardo Maffei; Fabricio Diaz Santos; Roberto Salom; Ricardo Moreno; Wezddy del Toro; Diego Viana; Paul Raad; Yina Sema; Ricardo Ortiz; Carlos Valderrama; Almira Hoogesteijn; Daniel Corrales
Affiliation: 1. Wildlife Conservation Society, Jaguar Conservation Program, Bronx, New York, United States of America. 2. Department of Environment and Development, Zamorano Biodiversity Center, Zamorano University, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
Abstract: The current range of the jaguar (Panthera onca) covers about 7,000,000km², approximately sixty degrees of latitude, and eighteen countries in the Western Hemisphere. Throughout this geographical breadth jaguars represent an important component of native biological diversity and serve as an indicator of relatively intact ecosystems. The wide-ranging species often overlaps in space with humans, and conflict revolving around jaguar predation on livestock is a factor in jaguar mortality across this vast expanse. Technologies and practices have been developed that can reduce the frequency of jaguar depredation across the entire spectrum of livestock operations and ecosystems. We present field tested methods that work across the multiple biomes that constitute jaguar range, providing recommendations for technologies tailored to the scale of operations and the ecological and cultural context in which they occur.

Back to TopTop