Evaluating support for rangeland‐restoration practices by rural Somalis: an unlikely win‐win for local livelihoods and hirola antelope?

Abstract

In developing countries, governments often lack the authority and resources to implement conservation outside of protected areas. In such situations, the integration of conservation with local livelihoods is crucial to species recovery and reintroduction efforts. The hirola Beatragus hunteri is the world's most endangered antelope, with a population of <500 individuals that is restricted to <5% of its historical geographic range on the Kenya-Somali border. Long-term hirola declines have been attributed to a combination of disease and rangeland degradation. Tree encroachment-driven by some combination of extirpation of elephants, overgrazing by livestock, and perhaps fire suppression-is at least partly responsible for habitat loss and the decline of contemporary populations. Through interviews in local communities across the hirola's current range, we identified socially acceptable strategies for habitat restoration and hirola recovery. We used classification and regression trees, conditional inference trees, and generalized linear models to identify sociodemographic predictors of support for range-restoration strategies. Locals supported efforts to conserve elephants (which kill trees and thus facilitate grass growth), seed and fertilize grass, and remove trees, but were opposed to livestock reduction. Locals were ambivalent toward controlled burns and soil ripping (a practice through which soil is broken up to prevent compaction). Livestock ownership and years of residency were key predictors of locals' perceptions toward rangeland-restoration practices. Locals owning few livestock were more supportive of elephant conservation, and seeding and fertilization of grass, while longer term residents were more supportive of livestock reduction but were less supportive of elephant conservation. Ultimately, wildlife conservation outside protected areas requires long-term, community-based efforts that are compatible with human livelihoods. We recommend elephant conservation, grass seeding and fertilization, manual tree removal and resting range from livestock both to enhance the potential for hirola recovery and to build positive rapport with local communities in the geographic range of this critically endangered species.

Experimental evidence that effects of megaherbivores on mesoherbivore space use are influenced by species' traits

“…The concept of reintroducing large mammals has gained popularity in recent years. It has been proposed that reintroducing megaherbivores in areas from which they have been extirpated could restore key ecosystem functions (Bakker & Svenning, 2018; Guyton et al., 2020), mitigate climate change (Sandom et al., 2020; Zimov et al., 2012) and create refugia for species threatened in their current geographic ranges (Ali et al., 2019; Svenning et al., 2016). For extinct species, it has been proposed that extant ecological equivalents could be introduced to fulfil similar ecological functions (Donlan, 2005; Seddon et al., 2014; Svenning et al., 2016).…”

Taxonomy and Translocations of African Mammals: A Plea for a Cautionary Approach

“…It should be emphasized that the taxonomically sensitive translocation policies [153] would be important for the preservation of current diversity but also for the ecological restoration of some regions within rewilding, which could be essential for the preservation of some unique (often refugee) species [154,155]. Considering the restricted distribution of some giraffe taxa [98,156] and its important role in communities as flower predators [157], giraffe translocations [105] have a great potential that should be utilized for future generations.…”

Indigenous‐led conservation: Pathways to recovery for the nearly extirpatedKlinse‐Zamountain caribou

“…Beyond Canada, co‐management and Indigenous‐led conservation initiatives have been successfully applied in other parts of the world. For example, (1) Amazonian Rainforest conservation in Brazil by the Kayapo and Panara people (Schwartzman & Zimmerman, 2005 ), (2) creation of intercultural space during the Indigenous‐controlled planning of protected areas in Australia (Hill, 2011 ), and (3) Somali co‐management of the hirola ( Beatragus hunteri ), the world's most endangered antelope, through restoration of rangeland (Ali et al, 2019 ). Involving Indigenous peoples in the management of the lands that they occupy offers an opportunity for more effective and equitable conservation.…”