Attitudes Towards Forest Elephant Conservation Around a Protected Area in Northern Congo

Nsonsi, Félicien; Heymans, Jean-Claude; Diamouangana, Jean; Breuer, Thomas

doi:10.4103/0972-4923.201394

Cited by 22 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 74 publications

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“…Yet competition for increasingly scarce water sources and other resources during and/or after droughts increases the risk of conflict between elephants and humans (Osborn, 2004;Ntumi et al, 2005;Graham et al, 2009a;Shaffer and Naiene, 2011;Sitienei et al, 2014;Mariki et al, 2015). Poverty also reduces household coping ability and adaptive capacity to respond to harvest losses by crop-raiding elephants (Eriksen and Silva, 2009;Snyman, 2014;Nsonsi et al, 2017), which further undermines conservation efforts by engendering animosity and intolerance toward elephants.…”

Section: Causes and Consequences Of Human-elephant Conflictmentioning

confidence: 99%

Human-Elephant Conflict: A Review of Current Management Strategies and Future Directions

et al. 2019

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Human-elephant conflict is a major conservation concern in elephant range countries. A variety of management strategies have been developed and are practiced at different scales for preventing and mitigating human-elephant conflict. However, human-elephant conflict remains pervasive as the majority of existing prevention strategies are driven by site-specific factors that only offer short-term solutions, while mitigation strategies frequently transfer conflict risk from one place to another. Here, we review current human-elephant conflict management strategies and describe an interdisciplinary conceptual approach to manage species coexistence over the long-term. Our proposed model identifies shared resource use between humans and elephants at different spatial and temporal scales for development of long-term solutions. The model also highlights the importance of including anthropological and geographical knowledge to find sustainable solutions to managing human-elephant conflict.

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Section: Causes and Consequences Of Human-elephant Conflictmentioning

confidence: 99%

Human-Elephant Conflict: A Review of Current Management Strategies and Future Directions

et al. 2019

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“…Elephant damage leads to a negative perception of the species among local people across Africa (Hariohay et al, 2018;Nsonsi et al, 2017). In this study, many respondents stated that elephants can cause damage across seasons and time and that, once they enter a field, they cause widespread destruction.…”

Section: Situation Of Elephant Damagementioning

confidence: 83%

“…In the context of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area in Southern Africa, it has been reported that positive recognition of park rules or benefits from parks can increase positive perceptions of wildlife conservation (Ntuli et al, 2019). According to a study in Nouabal e-Ndoki National Park in northern Congo (Nsonsi et al, 2017), people engaging in conservation activities and/or living in the area where conservation projects are in place are more positive about elephant conservation. Thus, conservation-related activities can positively influence local people's perceptions of protected areas and elephants.…”

Section: Effects Of Conservation On Tolerance Toward Elephantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Such damage also indirectly leads to increased poverty, food insecurity, labor shortage for crop cultivation, and physical as well as mental health problems among local people (Barua et al, 2013;Walker, 2012). Such direct and indirect damage generally reduces locals' tolerance toward elephants (Hariohay et al, 2018;Hill, 2004;Nsonsi et al, 2017) and could potentially increase poaching (Compaore et al, 2020).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Alternatively, PAs can provide benefits that improve local livelihoods, such as the economic benefits and infrastructure development, through tourism and/or research activities related to nature conservation (Lahm, 1996;Naughton-Treves et al, 2005;Oldekop et al, 2016;Wittemyer et al, 2008). If such benefits can offset the costs of living with elephants, locals may develop tolerance toward them (Nsonsi et al, 2017;Ntuli et al, 2019).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Human-Elephant Conflict Around Moukalaba-Doudou National Park in Gabon: Socioeconomic Changes and Effects of Conservation Projects on Local Tolerance

Terada

Yobo²,

Moussavou³

et al. 2021

Tropical Conservation Science

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Human-elephant conflict (HEC) poses a serious problem in Africa for both local livelihoods and elephant conservation. Elephant damage is the price local people pay for coexisting with this species, and is assumed to reduce tolerance for elephants. However, conservation-related projects, through the benefits they offer may enhance local tolerance toward elephants. This study aimed to examine how crop damage by elephants and the benefits gained from conservation activities affect local people’s tolerance toward elephants around Moukalaba-Doudou National Park in southwest Gabon based on long-term ethnographic research and interview surveys in two periods (2010 and 2019). Based on the results, crop damage by elephants had a significant negative impact on the local social economy, leading to a decrease in human population in the area and making local people highly resentful of elephants. However, in one of the villages where employment from research and conservation activities was concentrated, many acknowledged the benefits associated with wildlife and expressed high tolerance for elephants. These findings suggest that benefits from conservation activities can increase tolerance toward elephants, which is negatively affected by the crop damage they cause. However, it should also be noted that externally generated projects have limitations and drawbacks. It is important to establish a system in which the benefits of conservation are shared widely and distributed appropriately, and wherein income resources are diversified. Multisectoral interventions focusing on local socio-ecological vulnerability are needed to mitigate human-elephant conflict and advance the conservation of African elephants.

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Using video and theater to increase knowledge and change attitudes—Why are gorillas important to the world and to Congo?

Breuer

Mavinga

Evans

et al. 2017

American J Primatol

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Applying environmental education in primate range countries is an important long-term activity to stimulate pro-conservation behavior. Within captive settings, mega-charismatic species, such as great apes are often used to increase knowledge and positively influence attitudes of visitors. Here, we evaluate the effectiveness of a short-term video and theater program developed for a Western audience and adapted to rural people living in two villages around Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park, Republic of Congo. We assessed the knowledge gain and attitude change using oral evaluation in the local language (N = 111). Overall pre-program knowledge about Western gorillas (Gorilla gorilla) was high. Detailed multivariate analysis of pre-program knowledge revealed differences in knowledge between two villages and people with different jobs while attitudes largely were similar between groups. The short-term education program was successful in raising knowledge, particularly of those people with less pre-program knowledge. We also noted an overall significant attitude improvement. Our data indicate short-term education programs are useful in quickly raising knowledge as well improving attitudes. Furthermore, education messages need to be clearly adapted to the daily livelihood realities of the audience, and multi-variate analysis can help to identify potential target groups for education programs.

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Attitudes Towards Forest Elephant Conservation Around a Protected Area in Northern Congo

Cited by 22 publications

References 74 publications

Human-Elephant Conflict: A Review of Current Management Strategies and Future Directions

Human-Elephant Conflict: A Review of Current Management Strategies and Future Directions

Human-Elephant Conflict Around Moukalaba-Doudou National Park in Gabon: Socioeconomic Changes and Effects of Conservation Projects on Local Tolerance

Using video and theater to increase knowledge and change attitudes—Why are gorillas important to the world and to Congo?

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