Wildlife Damage Management, Internet Center for
Date of this Version
September 2002
Abstract
Coyotes are the leading cause of predation losses in the sheep and goat industry. The livestock protection collar (LPC) is a wildlife damage management tool used by the Wildlife Services (WS) program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to protect sheep and goats in fenced pastures from depredating coyotes. The collar is the most selective method available to manage coyote predation on sheep and goats and can only be used by certified pesticide applicators. The LPC is a very selective management tool because only the coyote attacking the sheep or goat is killed. The LPC is registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and WS personnel who use it must be certified in its use through the State pesticide regulatory agency. Certified WS applicators must follow all label directions and use restrictions set forth by the EPA when using the LPC. The collar is one of many tools available to WS for predator management. WS uses an integrated wildlife damage management approach to reduce or prevent wildlife damage. In selecting control techniques for specific wildlife damage situations, WS personnel consider the species responsible, the frequency, and the extent of the damage. In addition to damage confirmation and assessment, consideration is also given to the status of the species, local environmental conditions, environmental impacts, and other factors. Then these factors are evaluated and used in formulating management strategies that may include the application of one or more damage management techniques.