Carne Seca Wash by Craig Miller

During a recent birding trip I was inadvertantly led into this wash which offered quite a surprise. These carcasses are from livestock which did not likely die from predator causes (lack of hemmoraging in muscle tissue, etc), yet they were left untended near an area with a high number of endangered carnivores and scavanging has clearly taken place. Most carnivores have a good sense of smell and many can detect prey miles away. Any type of dead, diseased or dying animal left in the open is an attractant. Once animals that are both scavengers and hunters - such as wolves, bears and eagles - get a taste for dead livestock, it is not a big step to go from feeding on a carcass to hunting and killing live cattle or sheep if they are nearby. Hauling away, burying or burning livestock carcasses rather than leaving them out to rot reduces the chances of attracting predators. Once a wolf or jaguar becomes used to a food source, such as dead livestock lying on the ground or in a wash, it is more difficult to stop it from returning to look for an easy meal. Too often poor animal husbandry results in both dead livestock and dead wildlife. Thus, preventing the attraction in the first place is important. For more info visit www.defenders.org/proactive