 |
Integrating and Evaluating Livestock Guarding Dogs for
Reducing
Wolf-Human
Conflicts on
Michigan Farms
2004-2007
Graduate Student: Anna Cellar
Email: cella1a@cmich.edu
Livestock guarding dogs were developed
centuries ago to protect sheep and goats from wolf and bear
predation in Europe. This technology was not readily adapted
to farming in the U.S. until recently and has mainly been used with
sheep in the western U.S. to reduce coyote predation. Our study will evaluate
livestock guarding dogs (Great Pyrenees) to reduce wolf predation on beef
cattle farms in Michigan. Results of this research will provide important baseline data
on wolf ecology in agricultural lands, and it will lead to important guidelines
for implementing non-lethal control measures in areas wolves have recolonized
and/or where wolves are being reintroduced.
This research is being conducted in cooperation with
numerous Michigan farmers and
MDNR. This study was funded by CMU, Defenders of Wildlife, National
Geographic Society, USDA-NWRC, and USDA-SARE.
|
Anna
Cellar with Great Pyrenees dogs on one of our study farms in
Michigan
.
|
|
