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Human-wildlife conflict is a global crisis that has significantly impacted the local livelihoods of the rural populace of the world. This study aimed to examine the consequences and effects of human-wildlife conflict in Mbire District, Ward 1, Zimbabwe. This paper analysed a range of issues, including human-wildlife conflict, poaching, habitat loss, and socio-economic impacts, all of which intertwine to create a complex web of challenges with severe consequences for both humans and wildlife alike. The study was informed by the Musha/Nyumba and social conflict theories. The research used the qualitative method, where structured face-to-face interviews were conducted. Data was gathered from a sample of thirty participants and three key informants who were purposively selected to participate in the study. The study utilized a case-study research design. Data collected from the interviews were analysed to identify categories, emerging themes, and areas of agreement or disagreement in relation to the research questions. The study revealed that the consequences of human-wildlife conflicts include competition for resources, threats to human safety, crop and livestock damage, conservation concerns, and disruption of ecosystem balance. The paper concluded that human-wildlife conflict is a serious global threat to sustainable development, food security, wildlife conservation, and health, a concern that is negatively affecting people, wildlife, and the achievement of sustainable development goals. Evidence-based recommendations were provided to policymakers and stakeholders, including education initiatives, compensation and insurance schemes, land use planning, community engagement, and the development of early warning systems. This paper contributes to the ongoing debate on the economics of human-wildlife conflict and the contribution of wildlife to local livelihoods. more...

Improvements in survey techniques for threatened species gives quantifiable confidence about their presence or absence at a given location, enhancing our understanding of patterns of distribution and abundance. This is particularly important for legislatively protected threatened species that may be at risk of disturbance. Survey techniques vary in detection confidence, resource investment, and invasive impacts to individuals. We review the appropriate applications of techniques in surveying for the endangered northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus), including the effort required to be 95% confident of detecting presence and monitoring change in population trends in the Pilbara bioregion. The outlined protocols indicate best practice for effective and efficient northern quoll monitoring while protecting the welfare of the animals being monitored, and are relevant to Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act requirements. We also provide suggestions to mitigate impacts on animals and habitat, and describe future directions and emerging techniques for the monitoring of northern quolls and other endangered species. This information is targeted at those interested in monitoring northern quolls in a field setting, including researchers, environmental consultants, Traditional Owners, and land managers. The northern quoll is a small, endangered marsupial that inhabits the northern areas of Australia, including overlapping with areas targeted for mining in the Pilbara. Following more than 10 years of long-term data collection in the Pilbara, we present best practice survey techniques and options for reducing the impact of disturbance or improving northern quoll populations. These survey techniques are relevant to northern quoll research, conservation management, to detect their presence in areas previously unsurveyed, and for monitoring the outcomes of management activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Abstract Background Efficient movement and energy expenditure are vital for animal survival. Human disturbance can alter animal movement due to changes in resource availability and threats. Some animals can exploit anthropogenic disturbances for more efficient movement, while others face restricted or inefficient movement due to fragmentation of high-resource habitats, and risks associated with disturbed habitats. Mining, a major anthropogenic disturbance, removes natural habitats, introduces new landscape features, and alters resource distribution in the landscape. This study investigates the effect of mining on the movement of an endangered mesopredator, the northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus). Using GPS collars and accelerometers, we investigate their habitat selection and energy expenditure in an active mining landscape, to determine the effects of this disturbance on northern quolls. Methods We fit northern quolls with GPS collars and accelerometers during breeding and non-breeding season at an active mine site in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. We investigated broad-scale movement by calculating the movement ranges of quolls using utilisation distributions at the 95% isopleth, and compared habitat types and environmental characteristics within observed movement ranges to the available landscape. We investigated fine-scale movement by quolls with integrated step selection functions, assessing the relative selection strength for each habitat covariate. Finally, we used piecewise structural equation modelling to analyse the influence of each habitat covariate on northern quoll energy expenditure. Results At the broad scale, northern quolls predominantly used rugged, rocky habitats, and used mining habitats in proportion to their availability. However, at the fine scale, habitat use varied between breeding and non-breeding seasons. During the breeding season, quolls notably avoided mining habitats, whereas in the non-breeding season, they frequented mining habitats equally to rocky and riparian habitats, albeit at a higher energetic cost. Conclusion Mining impacts northern quolls by fragmenting favoured rocky habitats, increasing energy expenditure, and potentially impacting breeding dispersal. While mining habitats might offer limited resource opportunities in the non-breeding season, conservation efforts during active mining, including the creation of movement corridors and progressive habitat restoration would likely be useful. However, prioritising the preservation of natural rocky and riparian habitats in mining landscapes is vital for northern quoll conservation. more...

Abstract Gaining a comprehensive understanding of the human–nature interactions research landscape can benefit researchers by providing insights into the most relevant topics, popular research areas and the distribution of topics across different disciplines, journals and regions. The research literature on direct human–nature interactions is constituted from a rich and diverse spectrum of disciplines. This multidisciplinary structure poses challenges in keeping up with developments and trends. We conducted a multidisciplinary text‐analysis review of research on direct, sensory human–nature interactions to understand the main topics of research, the types of interactions, the disciplines within which they manifest in the literature, their growth through time and their global localities and contexts. Our analysis of 2773 articles showed that there has been recent growth in research interest in positive human–nature interactions that is biased towards high‐income countries. There is a substantial body of research on negative human–nature interactions, mostly from the medical fields, which is distinct from research on positive human–nature interactions in other fields such as ecology, psychology, social science, environmental management and tourism. Of particular note is the very large amount of medical research on the causes and consequences of snake bites, particularly in Asia. Understanding the relationship between these two contrasting types of interactions is of significant practical importance. More recent attention towards positive human–nature interactions in high‐income societies biases views of the relationship between people and nature. Research into human–nature interactions needs to take the next step towards a unified and holistic understanding of the benefits and costs of direct experiences with nature. This step is crucial to achieve a more sustainable future that benefits both biodiversity and human society, during great environmental and climatic change. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. more...

Background: Efficient movement and energy expenditure are vital for animal survival. Human disturbance can alter animal movement due to changes in resource availability and threats. Some animals can exploit anthropogenic disturbances for more efficient movement, while others face restricted or inefficient movement due to fragmentation of high-resource habitats, and risks associated with disturbed habitats. Mining, a major anthropogenic disturbance, removes natural habitats, introduces new landscape features, and alters resource distribution in the landscape. This study investigates the effect of mining on the movement of an endangered mesopredator, the northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus). Using GPS collars and accelerometers, we investigate their habitat selection and energy expenditure in an active mining landscape, to determine the effects of this disturbance on northern quolls. Methods: We fit northern quolls with GPS collars and accelerometers during breeding and non-breeding season at an active mine site in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. We investigated broad-scale movement by calculating the movement ranges of quolls using utilisation distributions at the 95% isopleth, and compared habitat types and environmental characteristics within observed movement ranges to the available landscape. We investigated fine-scale movement by quolls with integrated step selection functions, assessing the relative selection strength for each habitat covariate. Finally, we used piecewise structural equation modelling to analyse the influence of each habitat covariate on northern quoll energy expenditure. Results: At the broad scale, northern quolls predominantly used rugged, rocky habitats, and used mining habitats in proportion to their availability. However, at the fine scale, habitat use varied between breeding and non-breeding seasons. During the breeding season, quolls notably avoided mining habitats, whereas in the non-breeding season, they frequented mining habitats equally to rocky and riparian habitats, albeit at a higher energetic cost. Conclusion: Mining impacts northern quolls by fragmenting favoured rocky habitats, increasing energy expenditure, and potentially impacting breeding dispersal. While mining habitats might offer limited resource opportunities in the non-breeding season, conservation efforts during active mining, including the creation of movement corridors and progressive habitat restoration would likely be useful. However, prioritising the preservation of natural rocky and riparian habitats in mining landscapes is vital for northern quoll conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Simple Summary: Populations of West European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) are decreasing all over Europe, and we are urgently in need of more knowledge to understand the challenges they face. In the Nordic countries, the winter nest locations are of crucial importance for hedgehogs to survive the winter hibernation period. Using radio transmitters, we studied 9 adult hedgehogs during the pre-hibernation period from August–November in a typical residential area in the city of Kristiansand, Southern Norway. The hedgehogs had a highly variable home range size and displayed a large variation in distance moved per hour, with no clear difference between sexes. There were also large individual differences in the number of nest sites used and how often they changed nests. Although hedgehogs had nesting places in a variety of gardens and in hedgerows along roads, such places seemed to lack appropriate nesting materials, suggesting that this is not a habitat suitable for winter hibernation. In September, as they prepared for hibernation, hedgehogs rather chose permanent winter nests in natural forest patches within residential areas, often under tree roots. Our research highlights the importance of maintaining and increasing the number of smaller forested patches within urban regions to help conserve hedgehog populations. The West European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) is in decline, and it is important to identify its challenges. We used VHF-telemetry to monitor pre-hibernation space use, nest use, and hibernation sites in a suburban area in Norway. Based on nine adult hedgehogs tracked between August and November 2002, we found that home range size was not dependent on individual sex or weight and that home ranges overlapped between individuals regardless of sex. The distance moved was not dependent on individual sex, but there was a tendency for increased movement before dawn. The number of nests used per individual (0–10) and the number of nest switches (0–14) varied greatly and did not differ significantly between sexes. Out of 28 nest sites, 16 were linked to buildings and 12 to vegetation, and nesting material was most often grass and leaves. Three hedgehogs monitored until hibernation established winter nests under tree roots in natural forest patches in September, and this suggests that establishing or maintaining forest patches in urban areas is important to ensure suitable hibernation habitat for hedgehogs. Our study was limited by a low sample size, and additional research is required to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges hedgehogs face in urban environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

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The research work assessed the role of environmental education on Human-Wildlife conflict in Kainji Lake National Park, Nigeria. Simple random techniques was used to administer questionnaire to the Park staff while purposive sampling technique was used to select the support zone communities and simple random sampling techniques was use to administer questionnaire to the household. The sample size was put at 120 respondents, of which eighty one (81) questionnaire were retrieved. The finding shows that majority of the respondents (76 individuals) has experience human-wildlife conflict before while 5 individuals has no experience with human-wildlife conflicts before. The various preventive method used by the respondents to prevent human-wildlife conflicts indicated that Watch guarding recorded the highest (27.2%), followed by Scare crow with 23.5% while fire and smoke is the least with 8.6%. Majority (66.7%) of the respondents are aware of environmental education while 33.3% are not aware. Role of environmental education in managing human-wildlife conflicts are supporting the communities to recover and rebuild themselves after Wildlife conflicts recorded the highest with 32.1% while maintain community trust is the least with 6.2%. The study concludes that majority of the respondents are aware of environmental education and they indicated that environmental education are moderately effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The research work assessed the role of environmental education on Human-Wildlife conflict in Kainji Lake National Park, Nigeria. Simple random techniques was used to administer questionnaire to the Park staff while purposive sampling technique was used to select the support zone communities and simple random sampling techniques was use to administer questionnaire to the household. The sample size was put at 120 respondents, of which eighty one (81) questionnaire were retrieved. The finding shows that majority of the respondents (76 individuals) has experience human-wildlife conflict before while 5 individuals has no experience with human-wildlife conflicts before. The various preventive method used by the respondents to prevent human-wildlife conflicts indicated that Watch guarding recorded the highest (27.2%), followed by Scare crow with 23.5% while fire and smoke is the least with 8.6%. Majority (66.7%) of the respondents are aware of environmental education while 33.3% are not aware. Role of environmental education in managing human-wildlife conflicts are supporting the communities to recover and rebuild themselves after Wildlife conflicts recorded the highest with 32.1% while maintain community trust is the least with 6.2%. The study concludes that majority of the respondents are aware of environmental education and they indicated that environmental education are moderately effective. more...

Through a critical pedagogical framework, global conservation initiatives are integrated to curate a transformational extended reality (XR) curriculum in nature-based tourism (NBT). This proposed design affects visitors' protected area experience and supports human–wildlife relationships through XR exposure (before), peak NBT experiences (during), and post-experience reflections (after). The authors' XR design entitled Knowing Wolves (KW) is inspired by Colorado's publicly approved Gray Wolf reintroduction legislation and reorients the visitor experiencescape as a conduit for wildlife agency after exposure to critical thinking engagement for biocultural conservation. The authors analyze four international initiatives featuring human–wildlife criteria including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria, the Convention on Biological Diversity post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. The XR curriculum challenges practices of colonial conservation, integrates environmental intersectionality and critical inquiry to support engagement with posthumanism philosophy and agency of oppressed groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Anthropogenic activities cause habitat loss for wildlife, thus increasing human-wildlife conflicts globally. This study focused on highlighting factors that need to be explored when assessing human-wildlife conflicts for managerial actions. To identify critical factors influencing co-existence between humans and wildlife and the role these factors can play in supporting conservation of flora and fauna. A structured questionnaire was developed and administered to four communities around the two divisions of Cross-River National park to collect information demographic characteristics and series of tolerance construct statements to understand tolerance towards human-wildlife conflicts. The factors influencing tolerance in human-wildlife conflicts in Cross River National Park were highlighted using factor analysis on 335 households from communities living near the park. Tolerance in human-wildlife conflicts influences conservation and management in protected areas. The identified factors were a contribution to conservation, wealth & multiple livelihood sources, Compensation & Benefits, and community resilience. Furthermore, it was also discovered that carnivore conservation requires special attention for communities to provide support for conservation. Our results suggest that even though conservation is a central concept in human-wildlife conflict, other factors such as tolerance, the occupation of locals and the benefits to be derived play a critical role in ameliorating human-wildlife conflicts. Human-wildlife conflicts cannot be totally eliminated but having a clear understanding of the factors that play a major role in determining tolerance levels is a huge step towards peaceful coexistence and hence better management of the protected area [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Species that depend on anthropogenic waste for food can remove pathogens that pose health risks to humans and livestock, thereby saving lives and money. Quantifying these benefits is rare, yet can lead to innovative conservation solutions.To assess these benefits, we examined the feeding ecology and population size of peri‐urban spotted hyenas Crocuta crocuta in Mekelle, Ethiopia. We integrated these field data into a disease transmission model to predict: (a) the number of anthrax and bovine tuberculosis (bTB) infections arising in humans and livestock from infected carcass waste and (b) the costs associated with treating these infections and losing livestock. We compared these public health and economic outcomes under two scenarios: (a) hyenas are present and (b) the counterfactual, hyenas are absent.We estimated that hyenas annually remove 4.2% (207 tonnes) of the total carcass waste disposed of by residents and businesses in Mekelle. Furthermore, the scavenging behaviour of hyenas annually prevents five infections of anthrax and bTB in humans, and 140 infections in cattle, sheep and goats. This disease control service potentially saves USD 52,165 due to the treatment costs and livestock loss avoided.Synthesis and applications. This human–hyena interaction in Ethiopia is evidence that large carnivores can contribute to human health and economy. To retain these benefits and maintain tolerance of hyenas, we recommend introducing education programmes to promote safe outdoor behaviour around hyenas, training watchdogs to alert residents of hyena presence, constructing bomas to protect livestock from hyena attacks, and preserving the hyenas' access to carcass waste to reduce their dependency on livestock predation. With humans and carnivores coming more frequently into contact, understanding and communicating how these species can benefit humanity will be critical to motivating human–carnivore coexistence worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Loss of livestock is one of the greatest sources of conflict between humans and large felids worldwide. The puma Puma concolor is the most widespread apex predator in the Americas, and conflicts between this felid and humans are common throughout its geographical range. In response to predation on livestock, humans persecute and hunt pumas.We identified the main environmental and anthropogenic variables that define puma–livestock conflict areas in the Americas as 12 conflict predictor variables, and explored the techniques proposed to mitigate conflicts between the puma and livestock producers.We conducted a systematic search and subsequent review of the scientific literature and found 92 publications on puma–livestock conflicts. Through single‐variable analyses and generalised linear models (GLM), we identified which of the 12 conflict predictors were most predictive of the occurrence of predation.The single‐variable analyses showed that high livestock density (goat, sheep, and cattle), low latitudes, low habitat steepness, low co‐predator richness, high distance to habitat (shrub), and high distance to roads characterised areas with conflict. The binomial GLM indicated that areas with conflicts were primarily located in the temperate southern hemisphere and characterised by densities of livestock. The most frequently cited conflict mitigation techniques were 'improving livestock management', 'predator control', and the 'use of fencing'.Although our knowledge about the puma and its relationships with human communities has improved, there are wide geographical gaps, and many facets of puma–livestock conflicts are still little understood. Scientists should work with local stakeholders to generate reliable information regarding the ecological and societal consequences of puma–livestock conflicts, and to develop conflict mitigation techniques that could facilitate the coexistence of pumas and humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

People’s views and values for wild animals are often a result of their experiences and traditional knowledge. Local folklore represents a resource that can enable an understanding of the nature of human-wildlife interactions, especially the underlying cultural values. Using archival searches and semi-structured interviews, we collected narratives about the ibex (Capra sibirica) (n = 69), and its predators, the wolf (Canis lupus) (n = 52) and the snow leopard (Panthera uncia) (n = 43), in Ladakh, India. We compared these stories to those of a mythical carnivore called seng ge or snow lion (n = 19), frequently referenced in local Tibetan Buddhist folklore and believed to share many of the traits commonly associated with snow leopards (except for livestock depredation). We then categorized the values along social-cultural, ecological and psychological dimensions. We found that the ibex was predominantly associated with utilitarianism and positive symbolism. Both snow leopard and wolf narratives referenced negative affective and negative symbolic values, though more frequently in the case of wolves. Snow leopard narratives largely focused on utilitarian and ecologistic values. In contrast, snow lion narratives were mostly associated with positive symbolism. Our results suggest that especially for snow leopards and wolves, any potentially positive symbolic associations appeared to be overwhelmed by negative sentiments because of their tendency to prey on livestock, unlike in the case of the snow lion. Since these values reflect people’s real and multifarious interactions with wildlife, we recommend paying greater attention to understanding the overlaps between natural and cultural heritage conservation to facilitate human-wildlife coexistence. more...

Nepal almost eliminated poaching of the greater one‐horned rhinoceros Rhinoceros unicornis over the past decade, although poaching of other rhinoceros species remains a major problem in other Asian countries, as well as in Africa.It is important to understand the processes leading to declines in poaching in Nepal that may provide insight into possible anti‐poaching interventions in other parts of world.We argue that coordinated actions that led to (a) strengthened institutional mechanisms, (b) improved community participation and (c) enhanced interagency coordination all focused on dismantling illegal trade networks contributed to curbing poaching in Nepal.The Government of Nepal (GoN) created a new institutional mechanism both at central and district levels aimed at formulating policies and collaborating with enforcement agencies. Security agencies (Nepal Police and Army) were given responsibilities in and around rhinoceros habitat, and local citizens, mostly youths, were involved in surveillance and reporting of poaching activities. Targeted arrests and prosecutions were carried out that resulted in much higher conviction rates than previously.Synthesis and applications. Nepal's achievement in curbing rhinoceros poaching is a result of the collective and coordinated action of multiple stakeholders. Interagency coordination brought together the strength of each stakeholder, making it possible to fill critical gaps in anti‐poaching campaigns. There is a need for continued engagement of local communities, interagency cooperation and better training of law enforcement staff to sustain past achievements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Drones have become popular with the general public for viewing and filming marine life. One amateur enthusiast platform, DroneSharkApp, films marine life in the waters off Sydney, Australia year-round and posts their observations on social media. The drone observations include the behaviours of a variety of coastal marine wildlife species, including sharks, rays, fur seals, dolphins and fish, as well as migratory species such as migrating humpback whales. Given the extensive effort and multiple recordings of the presence, behaviour and interactions of various species with humans provided by DroneSharkApp, we explored its utility for providing biologically meaningful observations of marine wildlife. Using social media posts from the DroneSharkApp Instagram page, a total of 678 wildlife videos were assessed from 432 days of observation collected by a single observer. This included 94 feeding behaviours or events for fur seals (n = 58) and dolphins (n = 33), two feeding events for white sharks and one feeding event for a humpback whale. DroneSharkApp documented 101 interactions with sharks and humans (swimmers and surfers), demonstrating the frequent, mainly innocuous human–shark overlap off some of Australia’s busiest beaches. Finally, DroneSharkApp provided multiple observations of humpback and dwarf minke whales with calves travelling north, indicating calving occurring well south of traditional northern Queensland breeding waters. Collaboration between scientists and citizen scientists such as those involved with DroneSharkApp can greatly and quantitatively increase the biological understanding of marine wildlife data. more...

Worldwide, the persistent trend of human and animal life losses, as well as damage to properties due to wildlife–vehicle collisions (WVCs) remains a significant source of concerns for a broad range of stakeholders. To mitigate their occurrences and impact, many approaches are being adopted, with varying successes. Because of their increased versatility and increasing efficiency, Artificial Intelligence-based methods have been experiencing a significant level of adoption. The present work extensively reviews the literature on intelligent systems incorporating sensor technologies and/or machine learning methods to mitigate WVCs. Included in our review is an investigation of key factors contributing to human–wildlife conflicts, as well as a discussion of dominant state-of-the-art datasets used in the mitigation of WVCs. Our study combines a systematic review with bibliometric analysis. We find that most animal detection systems (excluding autonomous vehicles) are relying neither on state-of-the-art datasets nor on recent breakthrough machine learning approaches. We, therefore, argue that the use of the latest datasets and machine learning techniques will minimize false detection and improve model performance. In addition, the present work covers a comprehensive list of associated challenges ranging from failure to detect hotspot areas to limitations in training datasets. Future research directions identified include the design and development of algorithms for real-time animal detection systems. The latter provides a rationale for the applicability of our proposed solutions, for which we designed a continuous product development lifecycle to determine their feasibility. more...

This paper addresses the perception of human-wildlife conflict from residents, located in the Old Oyo National Park (OONP), in the south-western part of Nigeria. Four communities living within and beyond the boundaries of the park were selected for this study, with questionnaires distributed amongst individuals within the communities. The results revealed that there was a low tolerance to wildlife among residents (91%) due in most part to the destruction of high-yielding cash crops by the wildlife. However, approximately 74% of the respondents noted that if some type of benefit – be it ecologically or financial – reached them, they supposed that tolerance towards wildlife would increase. Based on these findings, it was concluded that in order to reduce human-wildlife conflict, strategies need to be put in place that provide some form of benefit, such as owning game, which could ultimately attract visitors and create alternative sources of income for the park's local residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

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This paper is aimed to investigate the driving forces for human-wildlife conflict in developing countries in order to develop conservation strategies. Human-wildlife conflict has been occurring whenever an action by human or wildlife in a particular habitat. This problem has been in existence as long as wild animals and people shared the same resources. The expansion of human population into or near to areas inhabited by wildlife and modification of the natural environments for agricultural activities escalate human-wildlife conflict. The problem of human-wildlife conflict is frequently reported in developing countries in the form of crop raiding, livestock depredation, predation on managed wild animal species or killing of people. Crop damage is the most prevalent form of human-wildlife conflict across African continent. Hippopotamuses, baboons, rodents, grivet monkey, squirrels, porcupines, pigs, deer, elephants, spotted hyenas, leopards, and lions are some of the reported wildlife that affects community livelihoods in developing countries. Crop loss and livestock depredation by wildlife is contributing the problem of food insecurity and poverty in developing countries. Human wildlife conflict hinders the conservation of animals in the natural habitats and poses the greatest challenges to the persistence and survival of wildlife. Therefore, all concerned stakeholders will work to minimize the existing humanwildlife conflict through developing human-wildlife conflict management techniques. Keywords: Crop loss,crop-raiding, developing countries, human-wildlife, livestock depredation more...

Mismatching in the spatial scales of social structures and ecological processes complicates the management of natural resources. Here we suggest the use of variance components to determine at which spatial scale variation in feelings, environmental attitudes and value orientation is largest and hence most exposed to conflicts. We estimated the variance components of the feeling of fear for large carnivores, environmental attitudes towards large carnivores and environmental value orientation at 3 scales (municipality, county and country) in Norway and Sweden. The feeling of fear for specific carnivores had the highest variance components at the municipality level, we found no specific scale that best explained the variance in attitudes towards carnivores in general, while attitudes based on environmental value orientation showed the highest variance components at the country level. To match the social-ecological systems, we conclude that management units have to be designed as the best possible trade-off between the social and ecological scales; i.e. largest possible to maintain ecological sustainability, but small enough to maintain a low degree of social conflicts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Vervet monkeys, Chlorocebus pygerythrus, thrive in urban areas of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and present a suitable model to assess parasitic load as a measure of anthropogenic disturbance, such as urbanization. We collected vervet monkey faecal samples from four study sites representing a gradient of land use and urbanization. We assessed faecal parasites using the faecal flotation method calculating eggs per gram and parasite richness. Overall, the more urban vervet monkey populations had a significantly higher parasite richness and abundance. Our study shows the applicability of using parasite load to measure the effect of urbanization on wildlife. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

This paper is aimed to investigate the driving forces for human-wildlife conflict in developing countries in order to develop conservation strategies. Human-wildlife conflict has been occurring whenever an action by human or wildlife in a particular habitat. This problem has been in existence as long as wild animals and people shared the same resources. The expansion of human population into or near to areas inhabited by wildlife and modification of the natural environments for agricultural activities escalate human-wildlife conflict. The problem of human-wildlife conflict is frequently reported in developing countries in the form of crop raiding, livestock depredation, predation on managed wild animal species or killing of people. Crop damage is the most prevalent form of human-wildlife conflict across African continent. Hippopotamuses, baboons, rodents, grivet monkey, squirrels, porcupines, pigs, deer, elephants, spotted hyenas, leopards, and lions are some of the reported wildlife that affects community livelihoods in developing countries. Crop loss and livestock depredation by wildlife is contributing the problem of food insecurity and poverty in developing countries. Human wildlife conflict hinders the conservation of animals in the natural habitats and poses the greatest challenges to the persistence and survival of wildlife. Therefore, all concerned stakeholders will work to minimize the existing human-wildlife conflict through developing human-wildlife conflict management techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Conservation conflicts are widespread and are damaging for biodiversity, livelihoods and human well-being. Conflict management often occurs through interventions targeting human behaviour. Conservation interventions are thought to be made more effective if underpinned by evidence and a Theory of Change – a logical argument outlining the steps required to achieve goals. However, for conservation conflicts, the evidence and logic supporting different types of interventions has received little attention. Using conflict-related keywords, we reviewed trends in behavioural intervention recommendations across conflict contexts globally, as published in peer-reviewed literature. We developed typologies for conflict behaviours, intervention recommendations, and conflict frames and identified associations between them and other geographical variables using Pearson's Chi-squared tests of independence. Analysing 100 recent articles, we found that technical interventions (recommended in 38% of articles) are significantly associated with conflicts involving wildlife control and the human-wildlife conflict frame. Enforcement-based interventions (54% of articles) are significantly associated with conflicts over illegal resource use, while stakeholder-based interventions (37% of articles) are associated with the human-human conflict frame and very highly developed countries. Only 10% of articles offered “strong” evidence from the published scientific literature justifying recommendations, and only 15% outlined Theories of Change. We suggest that intervention recommendations are likely influenced by authors' perceptions of the social basis of conflicts, and possibly also by disciplinary silos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Urbanization is a global trend which is taking place at the costs of agricultural, forest, and other natural or semi-natural areas. As a result of urbanization, transitioning zones in urban peripheries located between urban and rural areas have a mixed character from a spatial, ecological, socio-demographic, and economic point of view. Different land use mixes and interests exist there in parallel and cause tensions and conflicts. In our research, we aimed at investigating the specific characteristics of conflicts in urban peripheries across Europe, showing striking examples and discussing possible recommendations for policy and planning addressing those conflicts. A structured literature review of 94 papers was conducted. The findings reflected a huge diversity in locations, contexts, and methods. Conflicts in urban peripheries in Europe is an interdisciplinary topic that is handled by social as well as natural sciences. We have identified four main conflict categories in urban peripheries: (a) land-use conflicts that relate to diverging interest in land use, (b) socio-economic conflicts that related to social aspects emerging between governance actors and different economic interests, (c) ethnic conflicts that related to race, religion, and custom, and (d) human-wildlife conflicts. The majority of papers were found in the category of land-use conflicts in urban peripheries. The main conflict topics in urban peripheries were related to socio-economic imbalances, house construction, and ethnic differences. Several types of governance actors and conflict topics could be assigned to each conflict category showing the variety in this context. A general recommendation to mitigate conflicts in urban peripheries could be a combination of various top-down and bottom-up policy and planning approaches, consulted and implemented by the governance actors who have been sensitized for the different viewpoints. • A structured literature review of 94 papers was conducted. • The conflict categories in urban peripheries were land-use, socio-economic, ethnic, and human-wildlife conflicts. • The majority of papers were found for land-use conflicts in urban peripheries. • Main conflict topics were related to socio-economic imbalances, house construction, and ethnic differences. • A combination of legal and participatory planning instruments are often important for conflict mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...