DESCRIPTION
Initially developed to protect poultry from foxes, the use of flashing lights was then extended to various predators: in Nepal to limit depredation of snow leopard over livestock, in Africa against cheetah attacks or in France against wolves.
The device emits flashes of light randomly with an automatic change of colors (9 white and blue LEDs) and is triggered at dusk thanks to an integrated light detector. The light is projected at 360° and can be seen up to 1 km away. One or more devices are placed around the herds where there is a risk of attack.
In France, the system has been tested in France on several mountain pastures:
- In the Alpes-de Haute-Provence and Hautes-Alpes: 3 foxlights installed near (10-25m) from a night park of 1,700 sheep
- In Lorraine: 4 foxlights on a 1 ha site (Comm. Pers. P. Boffy, 2017),
- In the Vosges: 4 to 5 devices over 5ha,
- In the Var on herds of 300 to 600 animals.
To install on a stake, a tree or a wire:
- on fenced surfaces, in exposed and visible places
- in combination with other devices
- in prevention, rather than following an attack
- periodically
Disadvantages associated with the device:
- To use temporarily and regularly change location
- Less suitable for large areas and when the topography is marked
- Suspected of disturbing wildlife
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Such a system is also used in other countries worldwide and against various wildlife species. Results seem to vary according to the wildlife species. A study in Chile showed it was effective to deter puma from killing livestock: https://news.wisc.edu/flashing-lights-protect-livestock-in-chile-by-deterring-pumas/
I am currently testing this device in French Guyana to limit attacks of Jaguar and Puma on livestock. So far, results are quite diverse: in some farms, attacks stopped, in others attacks stopped for a little while (weeks or months) and take over, and others were attacks did not stop at all.
It may also depend on the context and the individual. For example, in the two farms that had many attacks before I was informed and therefore set up the device, attacks of jaguars were not stopped or limited, as if there was no device.