Night Lighting and Domestic Dogs Reduce Livestock Depredation Risk in the Tropical Lowlands of Nepal

Increasing livestock depredation by recovering large carnivore populations undermines local support for long-term conservation. Past studies on livestock depredation have primarily focused on biophysical predictors, often overlooking the role of household-level husbandry and protection practices in shaping depredation risk. We used multivariate logistic regression models on a database of 1180 households (including 597 livestock depredation events) from the tropical lowlands of Nepal to identify predictors of livestock depredation by tigers (Panthera tigris tigris) and leopards (Panthera pardus). In line with previous research, models reported significant biophysical and livestock husbandry predictors of depredation risk, which are intrinsic geospatial and livelihood variables and unlikely to respond to interventions. In addition, we found novel evidence that the low-cost protection strategies of fixed night lighting and domestic dog ownership significantly lowered the odds of small livestock depredation. With careful implementation, these two mitigation measures have the potential to reduce livestock depredation risk and contribute to human–wildlife coexistence.

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