Convergences and divergences between scientific and Indigenous and Local Knowledge contribute to inform carnivore conservation

Abstract

There is increasing recognition that diverse knowledge systems can work in mutually enriching ways and that Indigenous and Local Knowledge (ILK) can enhance biodiversity conservation. However, studies using scientific knowledge and ILK in a complementary manner, and acknowledging convergent and especially divergent insights have remained limited. In this study, we contrasted proxies of abundances and trends of threatened and conflict-prone carnivores (caracal, cheetah, jackal, lion, leopard, spotted hyaena, striped hyaena) derived separately from scientific knowledge and ILK. We conducted camera trapping, track surveys and semi-structured interviews with local pastoralists from northern Kenya. We found convergences highlighting the need for conservation action and divergences suggesting scientific ecological sampling limitations or underlying socio-psychological phenomena. Overall, our study shows that complementing scientific knowledge and ILK as separate sources of information and opening up space for discrepancies can enrich our understanding of the status and trends of carnivores, as well as recognizing human-carnivore relationships.

Nature’s disvalues: what are they and why do they matter?

“…Consider the example of the conservation of the spotted hyena in Kenya [62]. While the scientific community recognizes the value of the spotted hyenas as important ecosystem regulators, they also recognize that conservation efforts will be jeopardized if the values and disvalues of local stakeholders are not taken into account.…”

Building bridges between natural and social science disciplines: a standardized methodology to combine data on ecosystem quality trends

“…This combination of data sources enabled the researchers to identify reasons for mangrove degradation over the previous four centuries, and thereby could feed into evidence-based management policies. Another example comes from Torrents-Tico et al [16]. They integrated estimations of abundances of threatened carnivores of both, indiginous and local knowledge, as well as monitoring data.…”

“…Another example comes from Torrents-Tico et al . [16]. They integrated estimations of abundances of threatened carnivores of both, indiginous and local knowledge, as well as monitoring data.…”

Interactions between Climate Change and Infrastructure Projects in Changing Water Resources: An Ethnobiological Perspective from the Daasanach, Kenya

“…The region contains unique flora and fauna and hosts a world-renowned Journal of Ethnobiology 2021 41(3): 331-348 paleontological record of human evolution (e.g., Leakey et al 2012), all of which contributed to the establishment of Sibiloi National Park in 1973, declared as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1993 (IUCN 2020;Mbaluka and Brown 2016;NMK and KWS 2019). The region has suffered a process of large-scale defaunation, attributed to overhunting and livestock overgrazing associated with a rapidly growing population of Daasanach pastoralists (Cabeza et al 2016;NMK and KWS 2019;Torrents-Ticó et al 2021). These threats, together with those brought about by large-scale infrastructure projects, led to the Sibiloi National Park being inscribed in 2018 in the UNESCO List of World Heritage in Danger (UNESCO 2018).…”