This project investigates carnivore–pastoralist conflict dynamics in the Tarangire–Manyara Ecosystem, Tanzania, with emphasis on leopard and spotted hyena impacts on livelihood security. Focal species were identified by previous research identifying hyenas and leopards as particularly problematic to human well-being in the study area. Using mixed methods, we assess livestock depredation within Maasai pastoralist communities and examine drivers of tolerance by exploring perceptions of living with carnivores.

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Findings indicate that livestock attacks at bomas are driven primarily by husbandry practices, while environmental factors such as landcover and proximity to protected areas play comparatively minor roles (Bell & Raycraft, 2025). Pastoralist tolerance, by comparison, is less directly tied to ecological conditions than by economic losses, sleep deprivation, conservation values, and personal attitudes (Raycraft & Bell, 2025). Together, results reveal that coexistence hinges upon effective physical for reducing carnivore incursions and on promoting tolerance by balancing material costs with intangible social, cultural, and attitudinal dimensions.

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