Tools for the Edge: What's New for Conserving Carnivores

There are two basic theories to repelling carnivores:

• Disruptive stimuli. These are relatively low in cost and simple, but predators rarely form a conditional response to disruptive stimuli. Instead they eventually grow accustomed to the stimuli, rendering it ineffective. However, there are a series of approaches that may be suitable for high-risk, short-duration predation incidents, which include fladry (a line of flags hung around a field to prevent intrusion) and the Electronic Guard (a daylight sensor and a 12-volt battery activate an intermittent siren and strobe light at night).  Another more traditional approach is the use of guard dogs.
• Aversive stimuli. Uses a form of stimulation to promote an aversion to a barrier.
  • Electrical stimulation using electrified wires with novel signals to promote an aversion to a barrier. 
    
  • Physical harassment (i.e. paintball weapons, rubber bullets, beanbag rounds) may be used to ward off predators, though many are likely to develop an aversion to the person or vehicle applying the stimuli rather than the general behaviors.
• Conditioned taste aversion. Includes contraception, which may be effective because predators that need to feed their offspring require more food and are more likely to damage livestock than those without offspring.