10.5061/DRYAD.7M0CFXPRC
Sonawane, Chinmay
0000-0002-0327-386X
Harvard University
Yirga, Gidey
Mekelle University
Carter, Neil
University of Michigan–Ann Arbor
Public health and economic benefits of spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) in
a peri-urban system
Dryad
dataset
2020
2020-10-01T00:00:00Z
2020-10-01T00:00:00Z
en
791180 bytes
7
CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
Species that depend on anthropogenic waste for food can remove pathogens
that pose health risks to humans and livestock, thereby saving lives and
money. Quantifying these benefits is rare, yet can lead to innovative
conservation solutions. To assess these benefits, we examined the feeding
ecology and population size of peri-urban spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta)
in Mekelle, Ethiopia. We integrated these field data into a disease
transmission model to predict: a) the number of anthrax and bovine
tuberculosis (bTB) infections arising in humans and livestock from
infected carcass waste, and b) the costs associated with treating these
infections and losing livestock. We compared these public health and
economic outcomes under two scenarios: a) hyenas are present, and b) the
counterfactual, hyenas are absent. We estimated that hyenas annually
remove 4.2% (207 tonnes) of the total carcass waste disposed of by
residents and businesses in Mekelle. Furthermore, the scavenging behaviour
of hyenas annually prevents five infections of anthrax and bTB in humans,
and 140 infections in cattle, sheep and goats. This disease control
service potentially saves USD 52,165 due to the treatment costs and
livestock loss avoided. Synthesis and applications. This human-hyena
interaction in Ethiopia is evidence that large carnivores can contribute
to human health and economy. To retain these benefits and maintain
tolerance of hyenas, we recommend: introducing education programs to
promote safe outdoor behaviour around hyenas, training watchdogs to alert
residents of hyena presence, constructing bomas to protect livestock from
hyena attacks, and preserving the hyenas’ access to carcass waste to
reduce their dependency on livestock predation. With humans and carnivores
coming more frequently into contact, understanding and communicating how
these species can benefit humanity will be critical to motivating
human-carnivore coexistence worldwide.