Every dog has its day: indigenous Tswana dogs are more practical livestock guardians in an arid African savanna compared with their expatriate cousins

摘要: Livestock guarding dogs (LGDs) have been used for centuries to reduce depredation on livestock and, more recently, facilitate the conservation of threatened carnivores. Conservation organisations in southern Africa promote use Anatolian shepherds as LGDs. However, farmers Botswana a variety breeds this purpose, including local landrace “Tswana” dogs. Our study sought test overall effectiveness these Irrespective breed, all LGDs reduced losses, with 47.9% experiencing no losses after obtaining dog. Owners LGDs, and single sex, had greater reductions losses. displayed behavioural problems than other our study. The health was reliant them receiving balanced diet, owners fewer reported issues. Moreover, Tswana were cheaper purchase feed their purebred counterparts. results show that can be considered practical alternative reducing mitigating human-wildlife conflict Botswana.