Human-elephant conflict is a common conservation problem throughout Africa, but poorly studied where forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) occur. Here, we investigated people's perceptions towards the impact of elephants around Nouabal e-Ndoki National Park, northern Congo. We aimed to understand the perceptual differences amongst residents of four villages that varied substantially in the degree of conservation benefits received. We used a multivariate analysis to investigate how socioeconomic variables, such as employment, wealth, education and ethnicity, influenced perceptions. Using both quantitative and qualitative data, we found that the majority of respondents experienced elephant impacts, mainly through crop raiding. Residents of the village where the local conservation project is based had significantly more positive perceptions of elephants, whereas perceptions of farmers were mostly negative. We identified some misunderstandings regarding the responsibilities of elephant impact mitigation regarding benefit sharing, stakeholder involvement and lawbreaking, but also willingness to apply mitigation measures. To mitigate the prevalent impact of elephants, a comprehensive approach of measuring impact, exploring community-based mitigating strategies and understanding of the root causes of the conflict is crucial. We propose a long-term programme within logging concessions organizing groups of farmers to cooperate on mitigation techniques and explore alternative incomes.
R esum eLes conflits hommes-el ephants sont un probl eme r ecurrent dans toute l'Afrique, mais ils sont mal etudi es l a o u vivent les el ephants de forêt (Loxodonta cyclotis). Ici, nous avons enquêt e sur la perception qu'ont les gens des impacts des el ephants aux alentours du Parc National de Nouabal e-Ndoki, au nord du Congo. Nous voulions comprendre les diff erences de perception chez les r esidents de quatre villages qui diff eraient sensiblement quant au niveau de b en efices qu'ils tiraient de la conservation. Nous avons utilis e une analyse multivari ee pour chercher comment des variables socio-economiques telles que l'emploi, la sant e, l' education et l'appartenance ethnique influenc ßaient cette perception. Au moyen de donn ees qualitatives et quantitatives, nous avons d ecouvert que la majorit e des participants avaient subi des impacts d' el ephants, principalement des dommages aux cultures. Les r esidents du village o u est bas e le projet local de conservation avaient une perception
La production rurale de la République du Congo connait depuis les années 1980 une baisse de productivité qui rend ses acteurs de plus en plus vulnérables. L’étude que nous présentons, réalisée pendant 23 mois dans six villages du département du Pool (Kindamba, Mindouli, Mabaya et Igné), du département des plateaux (Gamboma) et du département de la Sangha (la Sangha), a pour objectif d’identifier les causes qui bloquent le développement dudit système de production, en utilisant l’approche interdisciplinaire, à partir d’enquêtes sur questionnaire semi-ouvert, menées auprès de 354 ménages.
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