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Date: April 29, 2024 Mon
Time: 11:05 pm
Time: 11:05 pm
Results for human-animal conflict
3 results foundAuthor: Chardonnet, P. Title: Managing the Conflicts Between People and Lion: Review and Insights from the Literature and Field Experience Summary: Not long ago, when large mammals harmed people we talked of accidents; when they damaged people’s assets we referred to incidents. Nowadays, human/wildlife conflicts are regarded as common occurrences. It seems that what were once considered exceptional or abnormal events have become normal or usual. Whether this is a result of higher frequency and amplitude is not clear, because we do not have reliable statistics to make accurate comparisons. Similarly, human-eating and livestock-raiding lions might be seen as normal lions expressing their carnivorous nature in particular circumstances. Contemporary lions are not wilder or crueller or more dangerous than before: it is just that these particular circumstances seem to be recorded more frequently. Also, communication is now instant and universal: news of a casualty in a remote wilderness can be reported at once on the internet, spreading the information worldwide. Furthermore, a problem lion seems to have a greater psychological impact than a problem crocodile: a crocodile victim disappears, but a lion victim is more likely to be noticed; also, according to B. Soto, a lion incident might be perceived as an intrusion into the human environment, whereas a crocodile incident might be viewed as a human intrusion into the crocodile environment. The result is that the lion might be regarded as more at fault than the crocodile, even though the consequences are the same. In any case, the interface between humans and wildlife is increasing: growing human population and encroachment into lion habitat have simply augmented the incidence of contact between people and lions. Similarly, the harvesting of wildlife has increased, leaving less natural prey for lions. Obviously, the probability of clashes between people and lions now tends to be higher. Longestablished traditional ways of deterring fierce, fully-grown lions might become partly ineffective, and lethal methods are not always acceptable by modern standards. Triggers for human eaters and cattle raiders are being investigated, and knowledge of behavioural factors is improving. New methods to protect people and livestock from lions are being tested in a number of risk situations; these methods are also designed to conserve the lion itself from eradication over its natural range. Conservation of the lion is now a topical concern because our ancestors, the hunted humans (Ehrenreich, 1999) of the past who were chased by predators have become hunting humans and predators themselves. Interestingly, this study was undertaken during a period of rising general interest in conservation of the lion. Two regional strategies for the conservation of the African lion have been developed under the auspices of the Cat Specialist Group of the World Conservation Union/Species Survival Commission, one for West and Central Africa, the other for Eastern and Southern Africa.1 And more and more lion-range states are developing national action plans. This provides evidence of the effort invested in tackling the diverse issues related to lion conservation. By focusing on the human/lion interactions, the present study is complementary to the work of the World Conservation Union. This study also echoes the dynamic forum facilitated by the African Lion Working Group.2 We hope that this review will contribute to the challenge of long-term conservation of the African lion. Success will be attained when the lion changes from being perceived as vermin or a pest to being regarded as a wealth or an asset. Details: Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Naitons, 2010. 69p. Source: Internet Resource: Wildlife Management Working Paper 13: Accessed December 1, 2012 at: http://www.fao.org/docrep/012/k7292e/k7292e00.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.fao.org/docrep/012/k7292e/k7292e00.pdf Shelf Number: 127084 Keywords: Human-Animal ConflictIllegal HuntingLionsWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Management |
Author: Gurung, Bhim Title: Tiger Human Conflicts: Investigating Ecological and Sociological Issues of Tiger Conservation in the Buffer Zone of Chitwan National Park, Nepal. Final Report Summary: Historically, there was contiguous forest all across the terai region of Nepal and tigers were distributed in high densities. The situation changed during early 1960s because the tiger habitat in the terai was drastically reduced as a result of human resettlement program. The destruction of habitat and fragmentation lead to the sharp decline in tiger population. Sport hunting and poaching also contributed to its decline. Like other tiger range countries Government of Nepal worked to overcome this crisis since early 70s. Protected areas were established, strict protection was adopted, and stiffer wildlife laws against wildlife criminals were endorsed. To further increase the land base for tigers buffer zone community forests around the parks and reserves were promulgated and moreover, Nepal initiated an ambitious Tarai Arc Landscape project not only to increase land base for tigers but also to restore connectivity between reserves. Tiger conservation effort in Nepal has been successful. After establishment of protected areas in the early 1970s tiger numbers increased and since late 1970s numbers have been stable in protected areas. Density, based on mean female home range size, is the highest anywhere. The improvement of habitat quality in the buffer zone of Chitwan National Park and elsewhere across the terai has increased the overall land base where tigers reside. Breeding has been recorded at five sites outside of protected areas. Such increase in habitat use by tigers in the multiple use buffer zone community forests resulted in conflict between tiger and human. Over the last quarter of a century 88 people have been killed by tigers in and around the park. The trend of human loss has been increased significantly from an average of 1.5 persons per year (1979 – 1998) to 8.25 per year since 1999. The increasing trend of people killed was significant in the buffer zone but not inside the park. A total of 37 tigers were involved in killing 88 people. Of these, 17 were removed because of their man-eating behavior. The number of problem tigers removed per year increased dramatically in 2004-05. Four relevant factors were associated with man-eating tigers: (1) injured or aged tigers find it difficult to kill natural prey, (2) imbalance between tiger and prey base, (3) aggressive tiger behavior and, (4) defensive or accidental killing. Management actions were not taken against if it appeared that tigers killed humans accidentally; however, if possible the tigers that turned into deliberate “man-eaters” were removed. A high percentage (38%) of humans killed by tigers occurred in the south sector of the park, i.e. Madi Valley. This study focused on the status of tigers and its prey in Chitwan National Park and in the Madi Valley buffer zone. Tiger and prey were relatively more abundant in the park than buffer zone. However, the disturbance factors, measured as encounter rate of livestock and human were significantly higher in the park than the buffer zone. Reduced human activity in the buffer zone as compared to the park is because there is a stronger incentive to local people to control local use of buffer zone forest. Support of local people is critical in tiger conservation in the human dominated landscape. To understand the perceptions of Madi population towards tigers and its conservation, a household questionnaire survey was conducted. Majority of the people in Madi valley did not like tigers in the neighboring forests because of threat to people and livestock. However, just less than half of the people liked tigers because of ecological, utilitarian, and moral values. To mitigate the conflict the study recommends establishing a system to regularly monitor tigers in cooperation with the local “Bagh Heralus” attached to each community forestry user committee. Each committee in cooperation with Park staff would supervise the “Bagh Heralu” and the overall goal of the tiger and prey monitoring program would be to understand the activity pattern of tigers living in the buffer zone, implement a tiger conservation awareness program designed to educate local people on tiger biology and research, and to create a problem tiger response team to act immediately and efficiently to assist in conflict situations. Local participation between local user groups in Madi valley and park staffs is also needed to reduce grazing along the southern border of the park. Details: Kathmandu, Nepal: WWF-Nepal Program, 2006. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 23, 2013 at: http://www.panthera.org/sites/default/files/STF/2005-0013-014.2.pdf Year: 2006 Country: Nepal URL: http://www.panthera.org/sites/default/files/STF/2005-0013-014.2.pdf Shelf Number: 128099 Keywords: Forest ManagementHuman-Animal ConflictTigersWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Law EnforcementWildlife Management |
Author: Barlow, Adam C.D. Title: The Sundarbans Tiger: Adaptation, Population Status, and Conflict Management Summary: The Sundarbans of India and Bangladesh is the only mangrove in the world where tigers still live. The Sundarbans is of relatively recent origin and has gone through substantial changes over time, driven by sea level changes, sedimentation, neotectonics, climate change, and human use. The area is of great economic value, provides essential ecosystem services, and is deeply embedded in the culture of the region. The Sundarbans has been under various forms of management for about 2,000 years, and is classified as a Tiger Conservation Landscape of Global Priority. Little is known about the Sundarbans tigers, which are threatened by habitat destruction, prey depletion, and direct tiger loss. This goal of this study was to increase understanding of tiger evolution, population status, and human-tiger conflict. Skulls and body weights of Sundarbans tigers were found to be distinct from other subspecies, indicating that they may have adapted to the unique conditions of the mangrove habitat. Female home ranges, recorded using Global Positioning System collars, were some of the smallest recorded for tigers, indicating that the Bangladesh Sundarbans could have one of the highest densities and largest populations of tigers anywhere in the world. A survey based on tiger track frequency along creek banks in the Bangladesh Sundarbans showed that tigers are still present throughout the landscape, but that abundance is variable. A monitoring program based on this technique has a reasonable power to detect future change in tiger abundance. A review of human-tiger conflict data showed that the number of tiger and human deaths has declined in recent decades. A management framework was developed to support activity selection for the mitigation of human-carnivore conflict, and was applied to human-tiger conflict in the Bangladesh Sundarbans. Collaring problem tigers and creating teams to respond to tiger attacks were identified as the most cost-effective means to reducing the conflict. The monitoring program allows managers to evaluate the effectiveness of conservation strategies. The activity selection framework supports decision-making for the mitigation of human-carnivore conflict. This study highlights the Sundarbans as a high priority area for tiger conservation, and the information collected has been used to help create a national tiger action plan. Details: Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, 2009. 205p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed March 27, 2013 at: http://www.carnivoreconservation.org/files/thesis/barlow_2009_phd.pdf Year: 2009 Country: India URL: http://www.carnivoreconservation.org/files/thesis/barlow_2009_phd.pdf Shelf Number: 128150 Keywords: Human-Animal ConflictTigers (India, Bangladesh)Wildlife ConservationWildlife Management |