Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
5
PREDATORS ARE A POTENTIAL PROBLEM for all shepherds.
Although coyotes kill more sheep than dogs do, predation by dogs actually
impacts more shepherds. Bears and wildcats can also create nightmares for a
shepherd, and occasionally birds of prey (eagles and hawks) and carrion birds
(vultures and ravens) are the culprits.
According to the American Sheep Industry Association, predators in the
United States killed about 368,000 sheep and lambs during 1994, represent-
ing a loss to their owners of close to $18 million. It is estimated that coyotes
were responsible for about two-thirds of those losses.
Not all “predators” actually kill sheep, and predators are important members
of the food chain, creating a balance that nature depends on. Predators keep
populations of wild herbivores, such as deer and elk, from overpopulating
their ecosystems, and they feed on lots of small rodents and rabbits. They'll
also eat insects and carrion, which is often abundant along highways. When
they do kill, they aren't trying to ruin your day, cut into your profi t, or break
your heart; they're simply following their survival instincts.
Predator species tend to be opportunistic animals, seeking the easiest tar-
get to meet their needs. In other words, they usually go for young, old, weak,
or sick animals fi rst, though some have been known to attack mature, healthy
animals that are in their prime. All predators become more aggressive as their
hunger increases — during a drought, for instance — and may attempt to take
anything they can get their paws on.
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