Wild Cattle and Their Carnivores
摘要
Big cats (especially lions and tigers), wolves, and brown bears are the main predators of adult wild cattle, while smaller carnivores such as medium-sized cats (leopards, jaguars, and cougars) and smaller canids (Indian dholes, American coyotes, African wild dogs) may also prey on young cattle and calves. Both wild cattle and their predators have developed strategies in this regard, which are mostly based on social and individual defense and attack behavior. The relationship between wild cattle and large carnivores is also changing in response to increased human and domestic livestock presence, human actions such as hunting, and human-induced changes to habitat-dominated landscapes. The latter relationships are increasingly the main factors for the survival of wild cattle. This chapter takes an inter- and intra-continental approach to studying the relationships between wild cattle and carnivores and also examines newer research techniques based on the methods of geomatics that have recently increased the research rigor of ecological studies. Asia has the largest wild cattle, namely, gaur, wild water buffalo, wild yak, and banteng, and the largest number of species, while Europe, North America, and Africa each have one species of large wild cattle. In Asia, North America, and Africa, there is only one species of big cat capable of killing at least medium-sized wild cattle, with the lion’s social behavior exaggerating its predatory influence on large wild cattle. The second largest bear, the brown bear, is found in Asia, North America, and Europe, while medium-sized black bears are also found in North America and Europe. Smaller carnivores such as leopards, cougars, wolves, and the smaller Asian and American bears can kill younger, smaller cattle. All wild cattle are social or semi-social and cooperate in defense. Some are highly intelligent in such methods and have strategic defensive measures such as teamwork in rescue operations and guard posts, as well as defending less powerful herd members. Dominance hierarchies may also exist between wild and domestic cattle, with the former generally dominating the latter and being better able to defend themselves against large carnivores. The behavioral characteristics of wild cattle can also be found in domestic cattle. In most cases, these large carnivores share similar habitats with large wild cattle, and their ecological relationships are close, providing materials for geomatic research applications to habitat analysis, predictive modeling, and project evaluation. These questions contribute to understanding the interactions between domestic cattle and large carnivores.