Predation Management SA, of which SA Hunters is a member, met in August to discuss the environmentally friendly management of the impact of predators on the livestock and wildlife industries. We are pleased to share the following points:

• Crows and warthogs are not traditionally known as predators, but their impact is significant. Pied crows are fairly widespread in the western parts of the country and the Free State, while warthogs occur as specific incidents. However, warthogs are spreading to regions where they did not previously occur, and a-typical behaviour may be part of a survival strategy.
• Stray and feral dogs impact significantly on the livelihoods of community farmers. Some of these dogs roam freely, and if they start breeding it could lead to a similar problem as the dingoes in Australia. Domestic dogs that become wild contribute to the predation problem and pose risks to humans because vaccination against serious diseases such as rabies will become nearly impossible.
• It is important to follow a holistic approach in managing the impact of predation. Top predators such as leopards have a significant effect on mesopredators e.g., jackals. While eradicating all predators in our environment will have an ecological impact, it can also increase the cost of predator management if natural enemies such as jackals are removed. The indiscriminate shooting of jackals may stimulate changes in the breeding patterns, such as reaching maturity earlier and producing larger litters.