Virtual fencing technology presents a potentially transformative approach to livestock management across extensive rangeland systems with significant implications for wildlife conservation. Virtual fencing enables remote and dynamic management of livestock movement, offering solutions to mitigate the adverse impacts of traditional physical fencing on landscape connectivity, reduce wildlife-livestock conflicts, and exclude grazing in sensitive habitat areas. In this paper, we present a framework outlining th e diverse applications of virtual fencing to conservation efforts and present insights from several pilot case studies from the North American Great Plains and Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, USA. We examine the operational approaches, and adaptive strategies employed to integrate virtual fencing into existing rangeland management practices, and their potential impact in achieving wildlife conservation goals as part of a working livestock operation. Despite the promising potential of virtual fencing, pilot applications have encountered a range of technological, social, and policy barriers. The findings from the case studies underscore the necessity for continued innovation, stakeholder engagement, and policy reform to harness the full potential of virtual fencing. We argue that, by addressing these considerations, virtual fencing technology can substantially contribute to the co-objectives of livestock production and wildlife conservation. By enhancing landscape connectivity, reducing human-wildlife conflicts, and minimizing habitat impacts, virtual fencing represents a pivotal step towards more sustainable rangeland management.
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