Conflict between wild animals and impoverished people is a reality of the African bush. The sad news of the death of Hukumuri a much photographed and loved leopard has highlighted this reality. He was only 9 years old but his presence in and around a poor village where he had killed livestock was his death sentence. He was shot by authorities as a last resort it has been reported.

Few animals divide opinions quite like the dingo, Australias native dog and top predator. Most farmers hate them for killing or attacking their sheep and predating calves and other vulnerable animals. Since the outback was farmed bounties were put on the dingo's head to reduce their numbers but they persist because of their intelligence and resilience. It's thought that they came to Australia around 4,000 years ago with the Sulawesi hunters and gatherers. They are opportunistic and eat small native mammals and some feral animals and will forage for leftovers left by humans. A dingo famously took baby Azaria Chamberlain in 1980 which went down in history as one of the most incredible cases in Australias legal history. So it does prove their opportunistic nature but I wonder if their reputation as killers of farm animals is really deserved.