<b>Contrasting human perceptions of and attitudes towards two threatened small carnivores, <I>Lycalopex fulvipes</I> and <I>Leopardus guigna</I>, in rural communities adjacent to protected areas in Chile</b>

Abstract

OPEN ACCESS Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 April 2018 | 10(5): 11566-11573Abstract: The interaction between humans and small carnivores is a phenomenon especially frequent in rural fringes, as is the case of communities surrounding natural areas. In Chile, two species of threatened carnivores, the Darwin's Fox and the Guigna, have increased their contact with humans due to human-induced changes in their habitat. The objective of this study was to characterize the interactions of these species with humans by assessing human perceptions and attitudes toward them, and to assess livestock and poultry ownership and management practices in local communities to evaluate their possible roles in the phenomenon. We conducted semi-structured interviews in rural communities adjacent to natural protected areas of two different regions in southern Chile. We found that people have a more positive perception of Darwin's Foxes than Guignas, but both species are considered damaging due to poultry attacks. Livestock and poultry management was generally deficient. Improvements in animal management and education programs could lead to a significant decrease in negative interactions.

Unravelling negative interactions between humans, mammalian carnivores and raptors in South America

“…In particular foxes, but also other mammalian predators, are frequently involved in severe negative interaction with humans, especially in association with predation on goats, sheep and poultry (Travaini et al 2000;Cossíos Meza 2004;Caruso et al 2017;Bickley et al 2020). As a consequence, attitudes toward them are negative and people are known to have implemented lethal strategies to reduce negative impacts (Caruso et al 2017;Cossios et al 2018;Sacristán et al 2018;Benavides Medina 2020;De-Lima et al 2020). Sometimes, however, negative and positive attitudes of local people toward carnivores can be spatially heterogeneous and this can lead to landscape level population persistence (Novaro and Walker 2005).…”

“…Educational programs should be implemented to reduce negative attitudes toward scavenging birds in diverse geographical areas of South America (Cailly Arnulphi et al 2017;Castillo-Figueroa et al 2019;Lambertucci et al 2021a). Similarly, education seems to be a plausible strategy for reducing negative perception of mammalian predators such as jaguars and Andean bears (Espinosa and Jacobson 2012;Engel et al 2016;Sacristán et al 2018). To be effective, however, educational programs should consider the diversity of stakeholders and the diversity of their cultural patterns (Camino et al 2016).…”

“Weaving” Different Knowledge Systems through Studying Salience of Wild Animals in a Dryland Area of Argentina

“…Lycalopex gymnocercus is a common species and arouses contradictory perceptions in local people: of acceptance for some ecological functions and of rejection because of predation on domestic animals. A study conducted with rural people living close to protected areas in southern Chile also found contradictory perceptions of carnivores (Sacristán et al 2018). For L. gymnocercus , several studies support the local knowledge of its ecological functions, as rodent predator and seed disperser (e.g., Campos et al 2016; González del Solar et al 1997).…”

Leopardus guigna(Carnivora: Felidae)

“…Some believe that L. guigna is an omen of upcoming death in the family (Herrmann et al 2013). While poultry depredations are now seemingly rare events, isolated cases have profound social implications (Silva-Rodríguez et al 2007; Gálvez and Hernández 2009; Sacristán et al 2018). Hence, overwhelmingly negative attitudes toward L. guigna are based largely on popular beliefs, folklore, and symbolism and less so on actual losses (Silva-Rodríguez et al 2007).…”

“…Given that poultry predation is the main reason for overall negative perceptions of L. guigna , conflict resolution should focus on improving confinement structures and animal management practices (Sacristán et al 2018). Most residents only confine poultry at night in Valdivia, Chile, whereas on Chiloé Island, most residents do not use any sort of confinement and poultry are permanently free-ranging (Sacristán et al 2018). Unfortunately, people from rural communities are either unwilling or financially unable to provide protection to poultry (Moreira 2015; Sacristán et al 2018).…”