The black-backed jackal (Canis mesomelas) and the caracal (Felis caracal) are considered by most farmers in the Eastern Cape to be responsible for excessive livestock losses (sheep and goats) and are, as such, hunted extensively within the Province. Stomach content analyses of individuals killed during predator control operations indicate that caracal are opportunistic hunters of small to medium-sized mammals, preying predominantly on antelope within farmland. Black-backed jackal are opportunistic omnivores, preying predominantly on livestock and antelope in farmland, while invertebrates and antelope constitute the major food items within a game reserve. The diet of caracal was found to be largely influenced by the age of individual animals with old and young animals being the predominant killers of livestock, whereas black-backed jackal diet is influenced primarily by the social structure exhibited by the species, with male animals exhibiting a marked summer peak in livestock killing, due to the increased energetic demands of parental care associated with a long term pair bond. Two caracal (a sub-adult male and adult female), were radio-tracked within farmland for a total of twelve months, yielding the smallest recorded homerange sizes for the species to date (2.1km² and 1.3km² respectively). No livestock losses were recorded within these homeranges for the duration of the study. These data suggest a relatively high abundance of caracal within Lower Albany and further illustrate that individual animals are capable of preying solely on natural prey species over an extended period, when occurring within livestock farming areas. The analysis of local hunt club records and questionnaires revealed a higher incidence of local black-backed jackal (15.2 PD/Kill), than caracal (34.7 PD/Kill), with a marked seasonal peak in kills, for both species, occurring during summer months. The use of hound packs was found to be more effective in reducing the overall abundance of caracal than black-backed jackal, as this technique was seen to eliminate more adult female caracal than black-backed jackal, during the respective breeding season of each species. Local hunt club owners and farmers were more accurate in identifying problem black-backed jackal (74%), than caracal (59%). Recommendations are presented for minimizing stock losses through the application of selective control of specific problem animals, the use of various control measures and encouraging natural prey abundance.

Human-wildlife conflict frequently involves carnivores, mainly because of their large home ranges and dietary requirements. As such, carnivores tend to be the first animals to be lost in human-dominated ecosystems. This is significant because the removal of carnivores can alter the functionality of ecosystems. However, the conservation of carnivores depends as much on the socio-political and socio-economic landscapes as it does on the ecological one. The consolidation of vast, un-fragmented conservation areas in Africa and the world is unlikely. Thus, unravelling the factors (both biological and sociological) responsible for and influencing human-predator conflict is critical for carnivore conservation. The Winterberg district in the Eastern Cape, South Africa has been a sheep (Ovis aries) farming stronghold for nearly 200 years. Consequently, conflict between farmers and predators is commonplace and depredation of livestock by caracals (Caracai caracal) remains a perennial problem. However, the extent of this human-predator conflict (including a reliable assessment of caracal density) has not been quantified. This study used camera trapping to estimate the density of caracals (a nonindividually recognisable species) in the Winterberg and a structured questionnaire to gauge the general attitudes of the farmers of the region. Caracal density was estimated to be 0.20 caracals/km². This estimate equates to a population of approximately 54 caracals across the entire district. Therefore, caracals do not appear to occur at high densities in the Winterberg. However, the survey of the residents of the Winterberg Conservancy revealed that predators were rated as the greatest problem faced by farmers in the area. Although not significant, it also showed that the size of a respondent's property and sheep mortality due to caracals had the greatest probability of affecting attitudes towards predators. The farmers lost less than 10% of their stock to caracal depredation on an annual basis. Therefore, the general perception that predators were the most important factor in stock loss in the area does not appear to be fully supported by my data. The Winterberg is a male-dominated, multigenerational society and it is likely this propagates certain perceptions towards predators which are a reflection of long-held family traditions and beliefs. Such situations can result in reactions which are disproportionate to the actual scale of the problem. However, my study was limited to a sub-set of the landowners in the Winterberg. Thus, more intensive assessments of caracal space use and community attitudes towards predators are recommended.