Glossary

Human-wildlife conflict

Harm that people and wild animals cause each other, such as big cats killing livestock and herders killing cats in return.

Also called: human-carnivore conflict, livestock depredation, retaliatory killing

Human-wildlife conflict happens when the needs of people and animals overlap. With cats, the usual causes are livestock deaths, attacks on people, and fear. A lion, leopard, tiger or snow leopard that takes a cow, goat or sheep can cost a family a large part of its income, and the owner may poison or shoot the cat in revenge. This retaliatory killing is a leading cause of death for several species.

Conflicts grow as farmland, roads and villages spread into cat habitat, and as wild prey declines. Many cases are tied to poor livestock protection, such as animals left to graze alone or kept in weak pens at night.

Responses include strong night enclosures, guard dogs, herding practices, alarm lights, early-warning systems, insurance or compensation schemes, and community projects that give local people a share of the benefits of conserving cats. A wildlife corridor can reduce encounters by guiding animals along safe routes. When attacks on people occur, wildlife agencies may relocate or remove the animal. If you live or travel in cat country, follow local guidance on safety, store food and waste securely, and keep pets and children indoors at night. This entry is general information.

Last reviewed November 7, 2026

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Related terms

Poaching The illegal killing or capture of wild animals, often for their skins, bones, teeth or meat, a major threat to tigers, leopards and other wild cats. Wildlife corridor A strip of habitat or a crossing structure that links separate wild areas so animals can travel between them safely. Reintroduction Releasing animals into part of their former range where the species has died out, to re-establish a wild population. Apex predator An animal at the top of its food chain that adults of the species hunt and that has no natural predators of its own. Endangered species A species at high risk of extinction, either under the IUCN Endangered category or on a legal list that protects it, which are different systems.