Compensatory life‐history responses of a mesopredator may undermine carnivore management efforts

摘要: Summary 1. Lethal carnivore management, aimed at reducing impacts, is a global phenomenon threatening the persistence of many carnivores. Black-backed jackals Canis mesomelas, dominant cause livestock predation in southern Africa, are widely hunted to reduce predation. Despite centuries lethal persist. Smaller canids, like jackals, highly adaptable and display variable responses mortality sources, which may affect management outcomes. 2. The effects killing carnivores will depend on their behaviour, social organization, reproduction dispersal patterns. We predicted that alter demographic reproductive patterns compensate for increased mortality. Here, we collected information from harvested compared it between continually (farms) unmanaged populations (reserves). 3. removal farms results decrease median age 5–6 years (reserves) 2–3 (farms). Hunting also changed structure jackal stable population an expanding population. This be ascribed compensatory immigration individuals neighbouring areas, suggesting formation source–sink system. Unmanaged areas act as source exporting young, dispersing sinks. likely driven by disruptions normal, mutually exclusive territorial system resulting low densities conspecifics farms. 4. density allows younger would socially precluded reproducing reproduce. Jackals compensated increasing pregnancy rate young litter size ages, thereby output. 5. Synthesis applications. predators prevailing strategy However, nature combination mechanisms such potential allow these persist face severe anthropogenic mortality, possibly through These processes continue counter actions long recruitment persists.