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Biodivers Conserv (2012) 21:25692587 DOI 10.1007/s10531-012-0318-y
ORIGINAL PAPER
Catherine M. Hill Graham E. Wallace
Received: 17 November 2011 / Accepted: 14 June 2012 / Published online: 7 July 2012 Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2012
Abstract Conict between farmers and primates increasingly impacts conservation efforts in Africa and Asia. Field crops provide a reliable and readily-accessible source of food for primates coping with habitat loss. However, crop-raiding undermines food security and tolerance of wildlife within neighbouring human communities. Many primates consume crops regularly yet there are few accounts of systematic evaluation of techniques to deter them. Working in partnership with farmers, this study was conducted over two growing seasons within four villages adjacent to the Budongo Forest Reserve, Uganda. Using systematic observational sampling, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups, we(i) monitored primate crop-raiding behaviour prior to and after installing locally-appropriate deterrents, developed with local farmers, and (ii) explored farmers initial responses to the methods trialled. Deterrent efcacy was assessed by comparing the frequency and characteristics of raiding events across seasons. Primates were the predominant diurnal crop-raiders; six species were observed raiding. Deterrents implemented included barriers, alarms, repellents, and systematic guarding. Incidence of raiding and crop loss decreased in almost all cases, often by shifting raiding to unprotected elds or adjacent farms. Farmers identied benets and shortcomings for each deterrent, and considered most to be effective and valuable. Insights from the research directly inform intervention strategies to address crop-raiding issues and extend options to mitigate humanwildlife conict.
Keywords Behaviour Baboon Chimpanzee Conservation Crop-raiding
Deterrent Farmer Guenon
C. M. Hill (&) G. E. Wallace
Anthropology Centre for Conservation, Environment and Development, Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Gipsy Lane, Oxford OX3 0BP, UKe-mail: [email protected]
G. E. Wallacee-mail: [email protected]
G. E. Wallace
Division of Ecology and Evolution, Imperial College London, Silwood Park, Buckhurst Road, Ascot SL5 7PY, UK
Crop protection and conict mitigation: reducing the costs of living alongside non-human primates
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Introduction
Conict between subsistence farmers and wildlife due to crop-raiding is an increasingly crucial conservation issue in Africa and Asia. Raiding can compromise local food security (Hill 2000), reduces tolerance of wildlife (Sekhar 1998) and undermines management efforts (Osborn and Parker 2003). There is an extensive...