Wildlife conflicts in Africa and beyond

By Hans de Iongh

Institute of Environmental Sciences, Department

Conservation Biology, Leiden University

Department Evolutionary Ecology, University Antwerp

Summary of presentation: - Global; context of human- feline conflict

- Research on human-wildlife conflicts at CML

- What kind of conflicts exist ?

- Research methodologies used ? - Research results so far

- What can be done ?

Chloe Inskip and Alexandra Zimmermann ( 2009) in Oryx ; Human-felid conflict: a review of patterns and priorities worldwide

A comprehensive and systematic review of scientific, secon- dary and internet-based literature on human-felid conflict was carried out. Information regarding such conflict was sought for the 37 extant felid species (Nowell & Jackson, 1996, with the addition of the more recently described Bornean clouded leopard Neofelis diardi

In total 349 literature sources (189 scientific articles, 74 secondary and 86web pages) were reviewed. The primary and secondary literature was published over 1979-2008

Global Context: overview for which conflict human-feline conflicts have been reported by Inskip and Zimmermann ( 2009)

What kind of conflict can be identified ? The number of sources per publication year increased significantly over the period of 1979 until 2010 (Spearman’s Rank Correlation)

Categories according to conflict level based on body weight (Inskip and Zimmermann, 2009)

Body weight > 150 kg Lion (Panthera leo) and Tiger (Panthera tigris) MOST SEVERE CONFLICT CATEGORY Body weight 20-100kg European lynx,Jaguar, Puma, Snowleopard and Leopard HIGH CONFLICT CATEGORY Body weight 2- 50kg A..O. Cheetah, Bob cat, leopard cat, Ocelot etc LIGHT CONFLICT CATEGORY

PHD studies on human-wildlife conflicts during 1990-2016 •

During 1990-2016 a total of 32 PhD studies were successfully implemented by CML in collaborative programmes in Africa and Asia Of these 16 ( 50%) covered human-wildlife conflicts in which I was involved To date there are still 9 ongoing PhD studies in which I am involved of which 6 cover human-wildlife conflcits in Asia ( Nepal, India) and Africa ( Kenya, Ethiopia) In addition more than 310 MSc students have participated in these programmes

Examples CML-CB Research on human-wildlife conflicts in Africa

Research in West Africa; PhD Etotepe Sogbohossou Research in Central Africa PhD of Martin Tchamba, Hans Bauer and Pricelia Tumenta Research in East Africa PhD of Tuqa Huqa Jirmo, Gidey Yirga and Francis Lesilau Research in Asia Shekar Kolipaka ( India) Subodh Upadhyaya ( Nepal) Babu Ram Lamichane (Nepal)

What kind of conflict exist ? - Conflicts in-between communities over resource use

impacting large felids

- Conflicts between park management and communities, impacting large felids

- Conflicts between livestock and large felids - Conflicts between humans and large felids

- Kleptoparasitims

Conflicts between communities in North Cameroon: Mousgoum and Kotoko in 2006 and 2007 (Tumenta , 2012)

Conflicts between park management and communities (Sogbohossou, 2011)

Conflicts between livestock and large felids (Huqa et al, 2014); GPS locations Lions Amboseli NP November 2010; Lions do not stay inside the park !!! (Huqa, 2015) project supported by WWF-INNO and NG BCI

Conflicts between humans and large felids (Sogbohossou, 2011) (Project supported by WWF-INNO)

Lion-human conflicts :Case of Klepto parasitism by man to lions on 28-03-2006 (Schoe et al, 2009)

Study Lends New Support to Theory that Early Humans were Scavengers

Research methodologies used: satellite collars (photos R.Buij and P.Loth

Diets;Method 1: carcass counts - Small prey

- Consumed entirely or

Small remains left

- Large prey (bias) - Large remains often

present

Diets; Method 2: scat analysis (Nils Beveridge, 2012)

- Microscopic analysis of - hair morphology

Method comparison Huqa, 2015)

Species Carcasses

Buffalo 1 Ostrich 1 Thomson's G. 1 Waterbuck 1 Wildebeest 11 Zebra 5 Total 20

Species Scats Buffalo 3 Grant’s G. 2 Impala 1 Ostrich 2 Porcupine 1 Waterbuck 6 Wildebeest 33 Zebra 10 Unknown 4 Donkey 1 Goat 1 Sheep 1 Total 65

Buffalo 5%

Ostrich 3% Grant's gazelle

3%

Waterbuck 9%

Wildebeest 51%

Zebra 15%

Impala 1%

Porcupine 1%

Unknown 6% Donkey

2%

Goat 2%

Sheep 2%

Overig 6%

Scat analysis Amboseli 2012 (n=59)

Buffalo5%

Ostrich5% Thomson's

Gazelle5%

Waterbuck5%

Wildebeest55%

Zebra25%

Carcass count Amboseli 2012 (n=20)

Diets; Method 3: e-DNA - The beginning: diagnostic PCR

-Based on DNA extracted from scat -Blocking primers used to block Cat DNA -Minimum; Higher level taxon identification ( Family/Genus) -Species specific identification is possible -No true a priori knowledge required -Problem; Too sensitive (also prey of meso carnivores detected)

First results of e-DNA analysis (Beveridge, Speksnijder, Bertola and de Iongh, 2016) ; DNA analysis of one lion scat sample from Nairobi NP, Kenya

mtDNA (Bertola, Vrieling, de Iongh et al, 2011)

West

Central

East

Main causes of conflicts

- A. Individual charachteristics of felid ( age, sex) -

B. Environmental Charachteristics - 1. Habitat availability - 2. Wild prey availability - 3. Livestock husbandry and management - 4. Human behaviour and activity patterns - 5. Socio-economic determinants - 6.Spatial determinants

Solutions

- Financial solutions; compensation, consolation, insurance, income through trophee hunting/ tourism

Solutions

- Livestock husbandry; improved boma’s, improved herding, guarding by dogs, guarding by adult males

Solutions - Education and community development; community

outreach and education programmes (project supported by PBNF, Globe Guards and Burgers Zoo in Cameroon)

Solutions

- Deterrents; painted eyes on cow backs

Other Solutions • Barriers; electric fences, chicken wire, poles and netting

• Adversic conditioning; electrified collars, electrified human dummies or stuffed animals, killed animals injected with nauseatic substances (Lithium chloride

• Translocations; translocation of problem animals • Lethal control; selective culling of problem animals • Zoning; separating livestock areas from felid habitat • Landuse; livestock grazing free areas, resettlement • Attack verification; rapid response teams

Example wolf; NRC 9 October 2016

Barbara en Falama

THANK YOU !!