Author |
G.S. Masunga, D.L. Kgathi, O.D. Kolawole, J.E. Mbaiwa, M.R. Motsholapheko, L.P. Rutina, O.T. Thakadu, I. Gaodirelwe, K. Gontse, P.Jibajiba, K. Mogwera, S. Noga |
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Abstract |
Humans and wildlife interact regularly as they share the space that provides life providing resources such as forage and water (Treves et al. 2006, Ogutu et al. 2017). Because of the increasing spatial and temporal scarcity of the resources as influenced by natural and anthropogenic factors such as land use, climate variability (droughts, floods, heat waves), diseases and human settlement expansions competition for
these resources also intensifies and leads to serious conflict between people and wildlife (Redpath et al. 2013). In countries with high wildlife populations such as Botswana and Zimbabwe (Chase et al. 2016), the human-wildlife conflict is currently a major threat to wildlife conservation and sustainability of livelihoods of many local communities in the southern African region. Conflict reverses conservation efforts by eliminating wildlife species that damage crops, depredate on livestock or pose a threat to people’s lives. Further, the damage caused by wildlife on crops, livestock and other properties deepens the economic hardships faced by farmers and contribute to despair, resentment and abject poverty among local communities. (Hoare 1999, 2000; Thirgood et al. 2005) Paradoxically, the tourism industry is booming in countries with wildlife and questions arise as to what cost-benefit sharing models are in place (Mbaiwa 2005), what are underlying causes of the conflict, and what mitigations are in place or can be developed to minimise the impact of human-wildlife conflict, which if not addressed urgently will weaken the efforts of local communities to adapt to climate change. Our project aimed to establish a greater understanding of the benefits and costs of human-wildlife interactions as influenced by land use, socio-economic and traditional knowledge and practices of small-scale farmers in northern
Botswana. |
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