Domestic sheep predation

According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, 224,200 sheep were killed in the U.S. by predators in 2004, comprising approximately 37% of all bovine deaths for that year.[6] The sheep lost in that year represented a sum total of 18.3 million dollars for sheep producers.[6] Coyotes were responsible for 60.5% of all deaths, with the next largest being domestic dogs at 13.3%.[6] Other North American predators of sheep included cougars (5.7%), bobcats (4.9%), eagles (2.8%), bears (3.8%), and foxes (1.9%).[6] Wolves, ravens, vultures, and other animals together made up the remaining 7.1% of deaths.[6] As all NASS statistics on sheep only take into account sheep after docking, the American Sheep Industry Association estimates that an additional 50–60,000 lambs were killed (before docking) that were not a part of the count.[7] The number of sheep lost to predators may also be higher when considering that reports are generally only made when there is a reasonable expectation that a producer will be financially reimbursed for the loss.[8]

In South America, the only widespread potential predators of sheep are cougars and jaguars, both of which are known to prey on livestock regularly. South American canids such as the maned wolf and foxes of the genus Lycalopex are also blamed for sheep deaths, but no evidence for a statistically significant amount of predation by most of these species has ever been presented.[4] However, the culpeo is a threat to sheep, and is responsible for 60% of the predator losses in Patagonia.[4]

Though large, the South African sheep industry is significantly hindered by the innumerable predators present in the country.[9][10] Other African nations that rely on sheep face a similar problem.[9]

Black-backed jackals are the most significant sheep predators of southern and eastern Africa. Jackal predation typically peaks during droughts when wild food is scarce and the sheep are weakened. Merino sheep tend to be the most vulnerable, due to their habit of scattering upon attack, unlike fat-tailed sheep which bunch together for defence. In Transvaal between 1965 and 1971, a study on the stomach contents of over 400 jackals showed that sheep constituted 6% of the diet of jackals living in game reserves, and 27% for those living near farming districts. A similar study in Natal revealed that sheep constituted 35% of the resident jackal's diet.[11]

One of several rams and wethers that were killed during an attack by domestic dogs.

The main Australian predator of sheep is the dingo, which is a large-enough danger to sheep to precipitate the construction of the world's largest fence: the Dingo Fence. Red foxes also may prey on 10-30% of lambs, costing Australians sheep breeders more than A$100 million annually.[12] Annual baiting programs are conducted to reduce the number of dingoes and foxes. Uncontrolled domestic dogs also regularly menace and kill sheep. Occasionally wedge-tailed eagles will kill young sheep up to and including hogget size sheep. Prior to its extinction in Tasmania the thylacine, also called the Tasmanian tiger, was also considered a major predator of sheep; however, this was unfounded, as thylacine jaws were not strong enough to kill sheep. Blame for supposed predation on sheep accelerated persecution by farmers and its eventual extinction.[13][14][15][16]

In contrast, New Zealand has no remaining large carnivores since the extinction of the Haast's eagle. The only wild animal known to attack sheep in New Zealand is the rare, unusual kea parrot endemic to the country's South Island.

Brown bears are thought to have become extinct in the British Isles in the year 500,[17] while the last wolves were wiped out in 1786.[18] Today the only wild animals remaining as a tangible threat to lambs in the British Isles are the red fox, European badger, and eagles. Domestic dogs are also a common cause of predation of lambs and sheep (they can also sometimes die of shock after any attempted predation or attack). There are many anecdotal reports of badgers predating sheep or lambs, but very little solid evidence of attacks. Badgers will scavenge carcasses of animals that have died of other causes and do have the ability to kill lambs but there is little proof that this is anything other than an occasional occurrence. In an independent report on the impact of badgers it was reported that a Scottish survey of sheep farmers in 2019 found that of farmers who thought they had suffered predation 11% were of the opinion that badgers were responsible for some of their losses, although a majority of these did not actually witness an attack. The report also points out that predation (by many species, not just badgers) is often both misidentified and overestimated which makes it difficult to conclude an accurate figure for badger attacks.[19] Corvids such as the hooded crow and Eurasian magpie are known to kill lambs, often first disabling them by pecking out their eyes; if a sheep has fallen over during parturition or bad weather and cannot get up, again crows will first attack their eyes.[20] Larger predatory birds such as golden eagles and white-tailed eagles may pose a threat to sheep in the north of Britain, where their ranges remain stable, but studies show that overall levels of predation are likely to be low (in the order of 1-3%),[21][22] although a small number of farmers may occasionally suffer slightly higher losses.[23]

In Greece, between April 1989 and June 1991, 21,000 sheep and goats were killed by wolves. In 1998 it was 5,894 sheep and goats.[24]

In southern Bulgaria, golden jackals were recorded to have attacked 1,053 sheep between 1982–87.[24]

A study on livestock predation taken in Tibet showed that the Himalayan wolf was the most prominent predator, accounting for 60% of the total livestock losses, followed by the snow leopard (38%) and Eurasian lynx (2%). Sheep were the second most targeted victims after goats, amounting to over 30% of losses.[25]