wildlife conflict
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Abstract Background: Human-wildlife conflict (HWC) is predicted to increase globally in the vicinity of protected areas and occurs in several different contexts and involves a range of animal taxonomic groups whose needs and requirements overlap with humans. Human-monkey conflict exists in different forms more in developing countries and ranks amongst the main threats to biodiversity conservation. Grivet monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops aethiops) are any slender agile Old-World monkeys of the genus Cercopithecus. This study was conducted to investigate the status of human grivet monkey conflict and the attitude of local communities towards grivet monkey conservation in and around Wof-Washa Natural State Forest (WWNSF), Ethiopia from September 2017 to May 2018. Questionnaire survey (143) was used to study the human-grivet monkey conflict and its conservation status. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the responses were compared using a nonparametric Pearson chi-square test. Results: Majority of respondents from both gender (male= 67.1%; female= 74.1%) were not supporting grivet monkey conservation due to its troublesome crop damaging effect. There was significant difference in respondents perceptions towards grivet monkey conservation based on distance of farmland from the forest (χ2= 12.7, df =4, P = 0.013). There was no significant difference in the techniques used by villagers to deter crop raiders (χ2= 14.73, df =15, P = 0.47). There was significant difference in respondents expectations on the mitigation measures to be taken by government (χ2= 40.01, df =15, P = 0.000). Based on the questionnaire result, 42.5 ± SD 8.68 of respondents in all villages elucidated that the causes of crop damage was habitat degradations.Conclusion: The encroachment of local communities in to the forest area and exploitation of resources that would be used by grivet monkey and enhanced crop damage by grivet monkey exacerbated the HGMC in the study area. As a result grivet monkeys have been killed relentlessly as a consequence of crop damage. This was due to negative energy developed in human perspective. Thus, awareness creation education program and feasible crop damage prevention techniques need to be implemented.

The study assesses the impacts of Human-Wildlife conflicts in the surrounding villages in Old Oyo National Park (OONP), Nigeria. Two ranges out of the five ranges were used. Four villages were selected based on the distribution of primates and wildlife populations with each range producing two villages around Old Oyo National Park, were randomly selected for wildlife assessment. A total of 80 well-structured questionnaires were administered to the villagers with each getting 20 questionnaires respectively.  Data collected were subjected to inferential and descriptive statistics. Result shows that among other socio demographic characteristics tested against the impact of Human –wildlife conflict in the park, educational level and religion show significant difference (p<0.05). the buffer zone around the park has been extensively encroached; this made most of the surrounding villages to the park fall within the average distance of 2.6km. about 79% of the villages make use of fire wood for their household cooking. Major animals that intrude farmlands in the study areas include monkey (24%), Grasscutter (11%), Cattle (19%), Gorilla (12%), Antelope (6%), Cane rat (5%) and Rabbit (3%). Some of the crops attacked by the wildlife animals include; tubers (24%), tubers and vegetable (7%), tubers and fruits (36%), tubers, vegetable and fruits (3%), vegetable (7%), fruits (3%). All the respondents (100%) rated the level of attack and damages to their crops as high.  

Despite the increasing frequency and magnitude of extreme climate events, little is known about how their impacts flow through social and ecological systems or whether management actions can dampen deleterious effects. We examined how the record 2014–2016 Northeast Pacific marine heatwave influenced trade-offs in managing conflict between conservation goals and human activities using a case study on large whale entanglements in the U.S. west coast's most lucrative fishery (the Dungeness crab fishery). We showed that this extreme climate event diminished the power of multiple management strategies to resolve trade-offs between entanglement risk and fishery revenue, transforming near win–win to clear win–lose outcomes (for whales and fishers, respectively). While some actions were more cost-effective than others, there was no silver-bullet strategy to reduce the severity of these trade-offs. Our study highlights how extreme climate events can exacerbate human–wildlife conflict, and emphasizes the need for innovative management and policy interventions that provide ecologically and socially sustainable solutions in an era of rapid environmental change.

AbstractThroughout the world, livestock predation by mammalian carnivores causes significant economic losses to poor farmers, and leads to human–wildlife conflicts. These conflicts result in a negative attitude towards carnivore conservation and often trigger retaliatory killing. In northern Pakistan, we investigated livestock depredation by large carnivores between 2014 and 2019, and subsequent Human–wildlife conflict, through questionnaire-based surveys (n = 100 households). We used a semi-structured questionnaire to collect data on livestock population, depredation patterns, predation count, and conservation approaches. We found a statistically significant increasing pattern of predation with influential factors such as age, gender, occupation, education of respondents, population of predators, threats index for predators and conservation efforts. Some 310 livestock heads with an average of 51 animals per year out of the total 9273 heads were killed by predators, and among them 168 (54%) were attributed to the wolf and 142 (45.8%) to snow leopard. Major threats to carnivores in the area included retaliatory killing, habitat destruction and climate change. Incentivization against depredation losses, guarded grazing and construction of predator-proof corral may reduce Human–wildlife conflict and both livelihood and predator can be safeguarded in the study area.

Human wildlife conflict (HWC) impacts the livelihood of many rural communities worldwide. This study investigated the impact of HWC on people living near community forests (CF) in Nepal. Using databases provided by the Division of Forest Offices and data obtained from surveys between October 2019–March 2020, we quantified the financial loss of HWC to the local people. Between 2015 and 2019, 3315, or 27%, of the livestock owned by the survey respondents were killed by wild predators in the Kaski and Tanahun Districts. Chicken (Gallus spp.) was the most common prey taken (80%), followed by sheep (Ovis spp.) and goats (Capra spp.) (15%), cows (Bos spp.) (2%), pigs (Sus spp.) (2%), and buffalo (Bubalus spp.) (1%). Leopards (Panthera pardus) were the primary predators, followed by golden jackals (Canis aureus), jungle cats (Felis chaus), yellow-throated martens (Martes flavigula), and Himalayan black bears (Ursus thibetanus). The financial loss of livestock during this period was USD $115,656.00, equivalent to USD $142.61 per household. Crops were also damaged and eaten by wildlife, and 2165 crop-raiding events were recorded between 2015 and 2019. Rice (Oryza sativa), followed by maize (Zea mays), millet (Panicum miliaceum), and potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) were the main crops lost. Rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were the most common crop raiders, causing 74% of the damage, followed by Indian field mice (Mus booduga) (12%). From 2015 to 2019, crop losses equated to USD $83,424.00. Forest regeneration on abandoned agricultural land expanded wildlife habitats, enabling wild animals to come within reach of human settlements, which increased the likelihood of HWC events. Although the success of the community forest restoration program resulted in increased forest-cover, marginally increasing biodiversity, the reduced distance between human settlements and wildlife habitat, compounded by a lack of natural prey, may have unwittingly exacerbated HWC in this region. We recommend surveying predator and prey populations in the forest habitat, and implementing a habitat management program to improve prey populations within the community forests. Meantime, we propose establishing a financial relief and insurance program for crop and livestock losses at the local community level to alleviate any financial difficulties to the local communities caused by HWC.

Retaliatory killings caused by human-wildlife conflict have a significant impact on the survival of leopards. This study explores the reasons for retaliatory killings of leopards by interviewing community members in a small village in South Africa that experienced high incidences of human–leopard conflict. The semi-structured interviews focused on the reasons why retaliatory leopard killings occurred and how to best mitigate the situational factors that triggered these killings. Respondents cited four main problems that fueled these killings: the government’s response to human–leopard conflict was slow and unwilling; this response involved inefficient methods; there were inadequate resources to respond to these killings; and there was a clear lack of laws or their application. Local stakeholders provided a range of innovative strategies to reduce human-leopard conflict and retaliatory killings. While all parties expressed different reasons why these solutions were or were not effective, their conclusions were often similar. The distrust that existed between the parties prevented them from recognizing or accepting their common ground. Based on existing human–wildlife conflict mitigation techniques and solutions identified by local stakeholders, this article explores how criminological techniques, including situational crime prevention, can help identify and frame effective interventions to reduce the number of illegal leopard killings driven by human-wildlife conflict.

<p>Human-wildlife conflict is common wherever humans and wildlife coexist and is a growing problem in urban landscapes. Successfully mitigating conflict with wildlife requires an understanding of the ecological and social dimensions of the problem. In Wellington City, New Zealand, a human-wildlife conflict is beginning to emerge with North Island kākā (Nestor meridionalis septentrionalis: Nestoridae), a threatened endemic parrot that was reintroduced to the city in 2002. Kākā damage property but especially damage tree bark while foraging for sap. In this thesis, I investigate the conflict with kākā using ecological, behavioural and social science approaches to understand the problem and recommend ways to mitigate the growing conflict with kākā.  To investigate tree selection for sap foraging by kākā, I sampled the characteristics, microhabitat and distribution (independent variables) of 282 trees at 15 sites across public greenspaces in Wellington City, and used model averaging to determine the relative influence of independent variables on the binary dependant variable – presence/absence of bark damage. Tree size (Σωᵢ [Akaike weight] = 0.859) and site exposure (Σωᵢ = 0.739) had the greatest influence on tree selection for sap feeding. Kākā were found to prefer larger trees ( x ± SE, DBH: x damaged = 64.8 ± 5.2 cm, x undamaged = 32.9 ± 4.5 cm) at more exposed sites. Exotic species were significantly more likely to have been damaged than native species (Fisher’s exact test, p < 0.001). Seven of 10 tree species damaged were exotic, and exotic conifers, such as macrocarpa (Cupressus macrocarpa) and Lawson cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana) were the most commonly damaged species.  I used instantaneous scan sampling to record kākā behaviour during 25 60-100 minute observation periods at Anderson Park, Wellington Botanic Garden, and during 12 opportunistic observations of sap feeding kākā in Wellington City during other research activities. Forty observations of sap feeding were made and 20 sap feeding kākā identified. Based on estimated sex, females were no more likely to sap feed than males (exact binomial test p = 0.916) and both adults and juveniles were observed sap feeding. Kākā were observed displacing sap-feeding conspecifics and defending sap feeding sites from tui (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae). This indicates that sap is an important resource across sexes and life stages of kākā and is not just a supplementary food for females before breeding as previously hypothesised. Since supplementary food is provided by Karori Wildlife Sanctuary and utilised by the identified kākā, and 34% of Wellington residents provide food and water for birds, it is unlikely that further provision of supplementary food will reduce sap feeding.  To investigate residents’ attitudes and problems with birds, I hand-delivered 1030 questionnaires to households in 10 Wellington City suburbs. I then assessed the relationship between a person’s attitude and their biodiversity knowledge, engagement with birds and greenspaces and experience of bird problems. An extraordinary survey return rate of 61.8% (n = 635) revealed that residents had overwhelmingly positive attitudes towards native birds, despite 25% experiencing a bird problem. Planting trees to attract birds was the only predictor to provide substantial inference for attitude (ωi = 0.873). Experiencing a problem with birds was not an influential predictor of attitude when modelled alone (ΔAIC = 17.50, ωi = 0.000), but when combined additively (ωi = 0.568) and interactively (ωi = 0.400) with planting to attract birds these models comprised the confidence set. Respondents who had planted to attract birds were more likely to have more positive attitudes than the rest of the population even when they reported a bird problem. Hence, attitude to birds and tolerance of problems they cause was most closely associated with a person’s positive engagement with birds rather than their negative experiences.</p>

<p>Human-wildlife conflict is common wherever humans and wildlife coexist and is a growing problem in urban landscapes. Successfully mitigating conflict with wildlife requires an understanding of the ecological and social dimensions of the problem. In Wellington City, New Zealand, a human-wildlife conflict is beginning to emerge with North Island kākā (Nestor meridionalis septentrionalis: Nestoridae), a threatened endemic parrot that was reintroduced to the city in 2002. Kākā damage property but especially damage tree bark while foraging for sap. In this thesis, I investigate the conflict with kākā using ecological, behavioural and social science approaches to understand the problem and recommend ways to mitigate the growing conflict with kākā.  To investigate tree selection for sap foraging by kākā, I sampled the characteristics, microhabitat and distribution (independent variables) of 282 trees at 15 sites across public greenspaces in Wellington City, and used model averaging to determine the relative influence of independent variables on the binary dependant variable – presence/absence of bark damage. Tree size (Σωᵢ [Akaike weight] = 0.859) and site exposure (Σωᵢ = 0.739) had the greatest influence on tree selection for sap feeding. Kākā were found to prefer larger trees ( x ± SE, DBH: x damaged = 64.8 ± 5.2 cm, x undamaged = 32.9 ± 4.5 cm) at more exposed sites. Exotic species were significantly more likely to have been damaged than native species (Fisher’s exact test, p < 0.001). Seven of 10 tree species damaged were exotic, and exotic conifers, such as macrocarpa (Cupressus macrocarpa) and Lawson cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana) were the most commonly damaged species.  I used instantaneous scan sampling to record kākā behaviour during 25 60-100 minute observation periods at Anderson Park, Wellington Botanic Garden, and during 12 opportunistic observations of sap feeding kākā in Wellington City during other research activities. Forty observations of sap feeding were made and 20 sap feeding kākā identified. Based on estimated sex, females were no more likely to sap feed than males (exact binomial test p = 0.916) and both adults and juveniles were observed sap feeding. Kākā were observed displacing sap-feeding conspecifics and defending sap feeding sites from tui (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae). This indicates that sap is an important resource across sexes and life stages of kākā and is not just a supplementary food for females before breeding as previously hypothesised. Since supplementary food is provided by Karori Wildlife Sanctuary and utilised by the identified kākā, and 34% of Wellington residents provide food and water for birds, it is unlikely that further provision of supplementary food will reduce sap feeding.  To investigate residents’ attitudes and problems with birds, I hand-delivered 1030 questionnaires to households in 10 Wellington City suburbs. I then assessed the relationship between a person’s attitude and their biodiversity knowledge, engagement with birds and greenspaces and experience of bird problems. An extraordinary survey return rate of 61.8% (n = 635) revealed that residents had overwhelmingly positive attitudes towards native birds, despite 25% experiencing a bird problem. Planting trees to attract birds was the only predictor to provide substantial inference for attitude (ωi = 0.873). Experiencing a problem with birds was not an influential predictor of attitude when modelled alone (ΔAIC = 17.50, ωi = 0.000), but when combined additively (ωi = 0.568) and interactively (ωi = 0.400) with planting to attract birds these models comprised the confidence set. Respondents who had planted to attract birds were more likely to have more positive attitudes than the rest of the population even when they reported a bird problem. Hence, attitude to birds and tolerance of problems they cause was most closely associated with a person’s positive engagement with birds rather than their negative experiences.</p>