Urbanization decreases the amount of natural habitat available to wildlife but some species are able to adapt to and even thrive in human-dominated landscapes. When humans and wildlife live in close proximity the number of conflicts increase. Natural resource and agricultural departments were not designed to handle urban problems or the number of complaints that arise in urban areas, and the nuisance wildlife control (NWC) industry has developed in response to the unmet demand for assistance. Members of the wildlife profession have expressed concerns over the impact the nuisance wildlife control industry may have on wildlife, the public, and wildlife management, but no national studies were found that examined the size, growth, and/or economic impact of the industry. The most recent national reviews of regulation and oversight took place ≥10 years ago. This study examines 2 broad features of the NWC industry: 1) size and economic impact of the industry in the U.S. (e.g., number of businesses, annual sales revenue generated); and 2) the national regulatory environment. A total of 3,153 NWC businesses were identified in the U.S., and a conservative annual sales figure of $140 million was estimated for the wildlife removal services only. Changes in the regulatory environment from 1997-2007 were examined using a 10-category scoring system developed during an earlier study, and comparing the results of both studies. Changes were observed (P ≤ 0.05) for 9 of 10 characteristics, and the average cumulative score rose from 2.20 to 4.28 out of 10.0.

No description available.

Geographic profiling (GP) was originally developed to solve the problem of information overload when dealing with cases of serial crime. In criminology, the model uses spatial data relating to the locations of connected crimes to prioritise the search for the criminal's anchor point (usually a home or workplace), and is extremely successful in this field. Previous work has shown how the same approach can be adapted to biological data, but to date the model has assumed a spatially homogenous landscape, and has made no attempt to integrate more complex spatial information (eg, altitude, land use). It is this issue that I address here. In addition, I show for the first time how the model can be applied to conservation data and - taking the model back to its origins in criminology - to wildlife crime. In Chapter 2, I use the Dirichlet Process Mixture (DPM) model of geographic profiling to locate sleep trees for tarsiers in dense jungle in Indonesia, using as input the locations at which calls were recorded, demonstrating how the model can be applied to locating the nests, dens or roosts of other elusive animals and potentially improving estimates of population size, with important implications for management of both species and habitats. In Chapter 3, I show how spatial information in the form of citizen science could be used to improve a study of invasive mink in the Hebrides. In Chapter 4, I turn to the issue of 'commuter crime' in a study of poaching in Savé Valley Conservancy (SVC) in Zimbabwe, in which although poaching occurs inside SVC the majority of poachers live outside, showing how the model can be adjusted to reflect a simple binary classification of the landscape (inside or outside SVC). Finally, in Chapter 5, I combine more complex land use information (estimates of farm density) with the GP model to improve predictions of human-wildlife conflict.

Conflicts between humans and leopards have intensified in the Junnar Forest Division (JFD), India due to a combination of factors: loss of natural habitats, increasing rural human densities, and increasing leopard populations. These rural and agrarian communities that have large sugarcane plantations are vulnerable to these conflicts in the form of livestock depredation and attacks on humans, which decrease the tolerance of locals towards leopards and may undermine local wildlife conservation activities. This study used structured interviews to explore local resident's views, knowledge, beliefs, attitudes and behavioral intentions towards leopards and their conservation. The mean attitudes and behavioral intentions of respondents (N = 154) was found to be positive towards leopards and their conservation. To understand behaviors towards leopards and their conservation, a socio-psychological theory, Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA), was used. Results indicate a stronger attitudinal influence on locals' behavioral intention towards leopards and leopard conservation. Although several socioeconomic and demographic variables were found to be statistically significant in relation to attitudes, this study revealed the existence of social, psychological, and cultural variables that shape the locals' perceptions of leopards and their conservation. The current study shows that local peoples' attitudes toward leopards are complex, with the view held by the same person often being characterized by both negative and positive aspects. This study does reveal positive dimensions to the local peoples' perceptions of leopards, which are relevant to conservation of this animal and serve as a foundation for recommendations regarding regulatory interventions and educational and management strategies for the future.

Conflict with livestock farmers is the most serious threat to the survival of the jaguar (Panthera onca) across its range of 19 countries of the Americas. In this thesis I examine the needs for mitigating human-jaguar conflict at a range-wide scale by: a) reviewing the state of knowledge on the topic, b) modelling the risk of conflict across the range, c) analysing a series of empirical field case studies, and d) proposing appropriate approaches for different levels of conflict. Findings from 43 published studies and 117 expert-described cases show that human-jaguar conflict occurs on large cattle ranches, mixed farms and smallholdings alike. Depletion of prey and poor livestock husbandry are reported as the key reasons for depredation, regardless of ecological, cultural or socio-economic context. Attitudes and tolerance towards jaguars are not necessarily linked to losses, so recent research has focussed on understanding the behaviours of farmers. With 65% of the remaining jaguar range outside of protected areas, effective strategies for coexistence with farmers are essential. By combining geospatial datasets with expert-based information, spatial patterns of human-jaguar conflicts were presented in a predictive model of conflict hotspots. Around 85% of the total jaguar range, 72% of the total Jaguar Conservation Units area and 90% of the Jaguar Corridor area overlap with livestock, and 15% of the jaguar range has risk of conflict. Regions in which jaguars are repeatedly persecuted may become ecological traps and decimate populations. An aggregate study of 17 case studies across seven countries exposed a very large variety of geographic, agronomic and socio-economic contexts. Both within and across case studies there are considerable differences in farmers’ experiences with livestock losses, concerns about depredation, levels of tolerance and attitudes, as well as social norms towards jaguars in each community. No situational factors could be used to predict how farmers perceive jaguars and deal with depredation. The only pattern consistent across case studies was that attitudes towards jaguars are most likely predicted by a factor of perceived loses combined with the social norms of the community. In most scenarios, correctly balanced strategies of improving husbandry combined with behaviour-influencing methods may be the best way forward. To this end, a conceptual model is proposed, which distinguishes three levels of conflict and explains the importance of addressing any underlying history of grievances or incompatibility of values as part of any human-wildlife conflict mitigation strategy.

Human wildlife conflicts can represent missed opportunities for ecological monitoring, including tracking invasive species. The great cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis is the centre such a conflict, where the lack of concrete scientific evidence is often replaced by anecdotal evidence, leading to the vilification of these birds. The primary aim of this study was to assess the extent of the overlap between cormorant diet and the fish the fishermen are allowed to catch on the North West coast of Gotland, the Baltic seas´ biggest island. To assess cormorant diet, the otoliths in the cormorant pellets were analysed. Secondary aims included assessing the potential to use cormorant diet as a proxy for local fish abundances by comparing it to monitoring fisheries in the same area. Highly contentious species only included cod, herring and flounder, none of which were commonly consumed by cormorants. Cormorants and the monitoring fisheries found comparable proportions of all species except for flatfish herring sprat, sculpin. We conclude that the cormorant poses a relatively low risk to the fishing industry on the North Western coast of Gotland and that they could potentially be used as a sentinel for local fish abundances, including tracking invasive species such as the round goby.

Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) impact United States commercial aquaculture and are considered the greatest avian predators on catfish (Ictalurus spp.) aquaculture facilities in the Mississippi Delta. Recent changes in aquaculture practices, regulatory policies, and decreased overall hectares in production prompted this study that: 1) estimated abundance and distribution of cormorants at their night roosts using aerial surveys, 2) assessed cormorant consumption of catfish in relation to their night roost through cormorant collections and stomach contents analysis, and 3) updated a cormorant bioenergetics model with contemporary data to estimate catfish loss. Models estimated that 4.2 and 5 million cormorant forage days occurred during winters 2016-2018 with an average of 33% of their diet consisting of catfish, or 558.1 and 739.5 metric tons of catfish consumed by cormorants in winters 2016-2018. These results will inform wildlife managers about relationships between cormorant night roost locations and disproportionate consumption of catfish.

Habitat loss and fragmentation and human-wildlife conflicts, often resulting in retaliatory killing in response to livestock predation, are one of the main threats to wild felids worldwide, including pumas (Puma concolor). However, mesocarnivores are more abundant than large carnivores, live closer to human settlements, and drive community structure and processes in similar or different ways from large predators. Understanding both large and small carnivores' habitat use is key to their conservation and management. Thus, there is need to explore the ecological roles of predators (including invasive ones like free-ranging dogs [Canis lupus familiaris] and cats [Felis catus]) to examine how ecological context modulates the ecological roles of carnivores . This is especially important in my study area, which was severely burned by a catastrophic mega-wildfire in 2017. I used dynamic occupancy modeling of human-wildlife conflict (HWC) across 52 provinces for 8 years in Chile and found that free-ranging dogs outpace pumas in livestock depredation, killing substantially more livestock than pumas. Occupancy models show that HWC occurrence for both dogs and pumas increased with sheep density. Unexpectedly, dog HWC decreased with anthropogenic habitat degradation indicating that dogs may travel far to prey on livestock. The emergence of puma HWC in a site where it did not occur in the previous year was positively associated with anthropic disturbance. Countrywide, dogs HWC occurrence probability was higher than pumas in 43 out of the 49 provinces where both species occurred. I discuss livestock vulnerability, management strategies, and policy to mitigate HWC, and also highlight threats that free-ranging dogs pose to biodiversity conservation and even human public health. I also used single-species, single-season occupancy models fit to camera-trap data to investigate the patterns of site occupancy and response to mega-wildfires of native mesocarnivores in southern-central Chile: guignas (Leopardus guigna), culpeo foxes (Lycalopex culpaeus) and chilla foxes (Lycalopex griseus). I found that vulnerable guignas avoided burned sites, preferring sites with native, dense vegetation while culpeo foxes were intermediate in being able to use plantations, but avoiding burned sites. Chilla foxes were most tolerant to landscape change with no response to burns and were found closer to human habitation and rivers. Finally, I used two-species, single season occupancy models, and Kernel Density Estimation on circular data, to investigate the spatial and temporal dynamics, and overlap of native and exotic carnivores. I found that feral cats are a potential threat to pumas, guignas, and native foxes given they overlap extensively in time of activity with these species. Also, feral dogs had the widest distribution of all species indicating that their effects could be ubiquitous on the landscape. Thus, exotic species are damaging to wildlife, to livestock industry, and even to public health. I urge dialog between government authorities, wildlife managers, and scientists to generate a legal and public policy framework to properly managing habitat and HWC in southern-central Chile. / Doctor of Philosophy / Landscape transformation and human-wildlife conflict (HWC), which often result in retaliatory killing of wildlife in response to livestock predation, is one of the main global threats to wild cats, including pumas (Puma concolor). Medium-sized carnivores (mesocarnivores or mesopredators) are more abundant than large carnivores, live closer to human settlements and, like large predators, impact ecosystem structure and function significantly. Understanding habitat use of these carnivores is key to their conservation and management and to biodiversity preservation. Thus, there is need to investigate the ecological roles of carnivores (including invasive ones like free-ranging dogs and cats) to determine how interactions with other carnivore species and with the physical environment influence ecological roles of such species. This is especially important in my study area, which was severely burned by a catastrophic mega-wildfire in 2017, and for which there is scant information on wildlife responses to the mega-fire. I determined the distribution and causes of HWC across 52 provinces for 8 years in Chile and found that free-ranging dogs accounted for higher livestock depredation than pumas, killing substantially more livestock. Occurrence of HWC for both dogs and pumas increased with the sheep density of the province. Unexpectedly, dog HWC increased in less degraded habitats, indicating that dogs may travel far to prey on livestock in remote areas. The emergence of puma HWC in a site where it did not occur in the previous year increased with human-caused disturbance. Countrywide, dog HWC was higher than pumas in 43 out of the 49 provinces where both pumas and dogs occurred. I discuss livestock vulnerability, management strategies, and policy changes to address HWC, and discuss the threats that free-ranging dogs pose to biodiversity conservation and even to human public health. I also used remotely-triggered, camera-trap records to explore distribution of three mesocarnivores (guignas, culpeo foxes and chilla foxes across the landscape and in response to mega-wildfires in southern-central Chile. I found that guignas, a small and vulnerable wild cat, avoided burned sites, preferring sites with native, dense vegetation while culpeo foxes were intermediate in being able to use plantations, but avoiding burned areas. Chilla foxes were most tolerant to landscape change with no response to burns, and they were found closer to human settlements and rivers. Finally, I examined overlap in space and time of day between native species pairs and native and exotic species pairs. I found that dogs were the most widely distributed species across the landscape, but were mostly diurnal while native species were primarily nocturnal. Cats however had high temporal overlap with guinas and chilla foxes, highlighting the potential for competition between them.. Thus, exotic species are damaging to wildlife, livestock and even human health. I discuss the management implications and urge dialog between government authorities, wildlife managers, and scientists to generate a legal and public policy framework to properly managing habitat and HWC in southern-central Chile.

Mobile phones are transforming many aspects of rural areas in the developing world. Much of the early research on phones and related information and communication technologies (ICTs) in developing countries has focused on social networking and economic benefits in primarily urban or agricultural settings. Few studies, however, have examined the implications of mobile technologies on pastoralist livelihoods and biodiversity conservation. To build on this opportunity, this study examines the impact of mobile phone technology on four Maasai communities near Tarangire National Park in northern Tanzania. I asked the questions: (1) How do phones affect human-wildlife interactions?; and (2) What are the effects of mobile phone use on measures of human-wildlife conflict (HWC)? This research uses a mixed methods approach to address these two questions and test the hypothesis that mobile phone use reduces HWC. Qualitative group interviews revealed that households use phones to manage wildlife interactions in every aspect of their lives - especially when the interactions relate to pastoralism and crop-based agriculture. Maasai use mobile phones as tools of information distribution to mitigate and reduce the severity of effects of HWC. Multivariate analyses of survey measures of phone use and exposure to conflict (i.e., crop and livestock predation and human attacks) offer mixed evidence that mobile phone use is correlated with a perception of less recent HWC events. These findings provide an indication that the expansion of mobile digital technologies may be able to support livelihoods and biodiversity simultaneously. / Master of Science

<p>Tanzania is famous for it’s beautiful nature and rich wildlife. Proud of it’s natural heritage, Tanzania has dedicated over 20% of it’s territory as protected areas to shield the wildlife from human interference. But the wildlife is regarded as a menace by the local communities that lives close to the impressive national parks. At the same time, the increasing human population threatens the survival of the large migratory species in the parks by blocking vital dispersal areas.</p><p>This essay describes the human/wildlife conflict around Tarangire National Park and focuses on communities close to park borders. The intention is to examine if a buffer zone could solve the conflict in this area. By studying the political ecology of wildlife conservation in Tanzania, from local to global scale and through a historical perspective, it is concluded that the poor state-society relation as experienced in local communities is a crucial factor for the diminishing wildlife.</p>