Fortified livestock enclosures

Our data has revealed that the majority of livestock depredation incidents occur during the night, when livestock are in poorly-protected enclosures (known locally as bomas) which are traditionally made out of thornbush. We have trialled the use of sturdy, diamond-mesh wire enclosures, which are implemented on a cost-sharing basis with the householder, and they have proved very effective at reducing night-time predator attacks on enclosed stock. These enclosures reduce attacks, help secure livestock – which are vital economic and cultural assets – and reduce the chance of retaliatory or preventative carnivore killings.

Canvas mobile enclosures are useful for traditional mobile pastoralists, and also have benefits for crop farmers, as the livestock fertilise the area around the mobile boma, resulting in better crop yields. This method should further reduce livestock attacks and retaliatory killings, and should also improve food security and economic security for farmers as well as for livestock-keepers.

The majority of carnivore attacks occur in poorly-constructed enclosures, and families often lack the economic capacity or skills to improve them. Across Lion Landscapes sites, our Conflict Officers, Lion Extension Officers, Lion Defenders and Lion Rangers all play important roles in identifying and fortifying high-risk enclosures. The method of fortification varies according to need: some are reinforced with wire, some with thornbush, some have lion lights installed, and in some cases, livestock-keepers use canvas to construct mobile enclosures. Local villagers are enabled and supported in coming up with locally relevant best-practice methods to protect livestock. Fortification of enclosures has resulted in significant declines in depredation, easing economic pressures on households and reducing conflict and retaliatory killings. Over the next 5 years, we intend to scale up these approaches to cover at least half the at-risk enclosures in our target study sites.