La Réserve Nationale de Niassa (RNN, Mozambique) est une des plus grandes aires protégées en Afrique (42,140 km2) et inclut une population humaine d'environ 39,000 résidents au sein de ses limites. La RNN a subit 10 ans de guerre d'indépendance (1964-1974) puis 15 ans de guerre civile (1977-1992), périodes pendant lesquelles les populations animales ont fortement diminué. Malgré d'importants efforts de conservation, les densités de la communauté d'herbivores y sont très faibles comparées à d'autres systèmes de savanes similaires, notamment la densité de la population de buffles qui est considérée comme une espèce clé dans l'industrie locale des trophées de chasse et est donc logiquement devenue une priorité de gestion pour la RNN. Nous avons répondu à cette problématique à travers trois protocoles. Premièrement, nous avons analysé les données de 5 comptages aériens (2002-2011), réalisés en fin de saison sèche, afin d'explorer les relations entre la distribution de la population de buffles et plusieurs variables environnementales, reflétant les équilibres à long terme et à large échelle avec les ressources clés. Deuxièmement, nous avons étudié les stratégies d'utilisation de l'espace et de sélection de l'habitat de 9 troupeaux de buffles dans des zones contrastées et sur une période de 3 ans. Enfin, nous avons analysé les potentiels impacts directs et indirects des moyens de subsistance des foyers locaux sur le buffle et les ressources naturelles à partir de questionnaires réalisés dans des villages contrastés. Les résultats montrent que l'arrangement spatial des rivières permanentes et de l'eau résiduelle dans le réseau hydrographique secondaire est principalement responsable de la distribution de la population de buffles dans la RNN en saison sèche. La taille des domaines vitaux fait partie des plus grandes jamais observée pour cette espèce avec de larges mouvements saisonniers en réponse à une ségrégation des ressources. Les feux de brousse contraignent fortement la sélection de l'habitat et leur ampleur limite énormément la disponibilité en fourrage pour le buffle. Aucun évitement évident de la présence humaine (proximité aux villages / routes) n'a été observé par les deux premiers protocoles, mais les réponses aux questionnaires suggèrent un potentiel impact du braconnage sur la dynamique de la population de buffles. Ces résultats fournissent de précieuses informations aux gestionnaires d'aires protégées. A une si grande échelle, en raison de l'hétérogénéité des covariables environnementales, les actions de gestion doivent être adaptées aux zones contrastées de la RNN / The Niassa National Reserve {NNR, Mozambique) is one of the vastest protected areas in Africa {42,140 km2) and includes around 39,000 local residents within the limits of the Reserve. NNR suffered from 10 years of independence war {1964-1974) and 15 years of civil war {1977-1992), during which wildlife population decreased substantially. Despite important conservation efforts, the density of ungulate community remains strikingly low compared to other similar savanna systems, especially buffalo which is considered as a key asset for the local trophy hunting industry and has logically become a management priority for the NNR. We addressed this issue through three main protocols. First, we investigated data from 5 aerial surveys {2002-2011) at the end of the dry season to explore relationships between buffalo distribution and environmental covariates, reflecting large scale and long-term equilibriums with key resources. Second, we investigated space use and habitat selection strategies at annual and seasonal scales by GPS tracking the movements of 9 buffalo herds in contrasted areas over 3 years. Third, we assessed the potential direct and indirect impacts of household's livelihood on buffalo and natural resources using questionnaires in contrasted villages. Results show that the spatial arrangement of permanent rivers and residual water in seasonal tributaries strongly drives buffalo distribution within NNR in the dry season. Home range sizes were among the largest on record for the species with large seasonal movements in response to segregated resources. Bushfires appeared to strongly constraint habitat selection and the magnitude of their extension to greatly limit the availability of forage for buffalo. No obvious avoidance of human activities {villages/road proximity) was observed by the first two protocols, but responses to the questionnaires suggest a potentially severe impact of poaching on buffalo population dynamics. Results provide valuable information for wildlife managers. At such a large scale, due to the heterogeneity of environmental covariates, management actions must be adapted to the contrasting zones within NNR

Submitted by Jorge Silva (jorgelmsilva@ufrrj.br) on 2016-10-13T19:28:20Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2015 - Joaquim Armando Dlima Viana.pdf: 2574418 bytes, checksum: 7610761268f0da802ec623a435305b08 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-10-13T19:29:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2015 - Joaquim Armando Dlima Viana.pdf: 2574418 bytes, checksum: 7610761268f0da802ec623a435305b08 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-09-16 / Biodiversity in Southern African countries plays an important role in rural communities. The components of biodiversity provide over 70% of the animal protein consumed by rural communities, source for traditional medicine, wild basic foodstuffs and building materials. Thus, southern African countries have implemented conservation programs to safeguard the interests of local populations. Mozambique also followed this process. Since its independence in 1975, Mozambique has been making efforts to protect its flora and fauna. However, day after day the statistics point out a degradation and loss of biodiversity throughout the country. Poaching and logging that feed Asian markets, increasing demand for wood fuel by local people, shifting cultivation, forest fires, lack of plans for land management, all associated with the population growth are pointed out as the main villains for the biodiversity crisis in Mozambique. Several national researchers as well, as international organizations concerned with the conservation, criticize the government's policies and strategies. It is with this problem, that the purpose of this study was to analyze the actions of conservation of biological diversity in Niassa National Reserve and its impact on the people living near the National Reserve. The results show that the main achievements in the political arena were the membership and subscription to international agreements and treaties, such as the African Convention on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Protocol on Wildlife Conservation and Law Enforcement in SADC, among others. Ratification of these agreements pressured the government to design a series of laws, policies, strategies and programs aimed mostly the conservation and management of biodiversity and its main target the social and economic well-being of the local community. The Land Law (1999), Environmental Law (1999) and Law of Forests and Wildlife (1999) regulate, among other things, the relationship of interaction between the state, the private sector and local communities for management purposes and conservation of natural resources. However, due to a historical-political context, the government still holds local communities apart which is an unfavorable situation for biodiversity management. This distance between the government and local communities contributes to that poachers, illegal loggers, and other explorers not formalized, get the protection of the local communities as partners to achieve their intentions. If the purpose of the implementation of the programs was to alleviate poverty and improve biodiversity conservation, so the results show that to some extent, both failed and need a deep reflection to continue. / A biodiversidade nos pa?ses da ?frica Austral desempenha um papel importante na vida das comunidades rurais. Os componentes da biodiversidade fornecem mais de 70% da prote?na animal consumida pelas comunidades rurais, medicamentos para medicina tradicional, alimentos de base silvestre e material de constru??o. ? nesse contexto que pa?ses da ?frica Austral tem implementado programas de conserva??o com vista a salvaguardar os interesses das popula??es locais. Mo?ambique n?o ficou de fora nesse processo. Desde a sua independ?ncia em 1975 que o pa?s vem envidando esfor?os no sentido de proteger a flora e a fauna. Por?m, dia ap?s dia as estat?sticas apontam para uma degrada??o e redu??o da biodiversidade por todo o territ?rio nacional. A ca?a furtiva e a explora??o madeireira que alimentam os mercados asi?ticos, a crescente procura de combust?vel lenhoso pelas popula??es locais, a agricultura itinerante, as queimadas florestais, falta de planos de uso e aproveitamento da terra, tudo isso associado com a explos?o demogr?fica, s?o apontados como sendo os principais vil?es para a crise da biodiversidade em Mo?ambique. As pol?ticas e estrat?gias do poder p?blico s?o alvo de cr?ticas por diversos pesquisadores nacionais bem como por organiza??es internacionais ligadas ? conserva??o. ? com essa problem?tica que a proposta desse trabalho foi a de analisar as a??es de conserva??o da diversidade biol?gica na Reserva Nacional do Niassa e seus impactos sobre a popula??o residente no entorno. Os resultados mostram que os principais feitos na arena pol?tica foram a ades?o e subscri??o a Acordos/Tratados internacionais e regionais, como por exemplo, a Conven??o Africana sobre a Conserva??o da Natureza e dos Recursos Naturais, Uni?o Internacional para a Conserva??o da Natureza e dos Recursos Naturais (IUCN), Conven??o sobre o Com?rcio Internacional das Esp?cies da Fauna e Flora Silvestres Amea?adas de Extin??o (CITES), A Conven??o sobre a Diversidade Biol?gica (CDB), Protocolo Relativo ? Conserva??o da Fauna e Aplica??o da Lei na SADC, entre outros. A ratifica??o desses acordos pressionou o poder p?blico a desenhar uma s?rie de leis, pol?ticas, estrat?gias e programas visando na sua maioria a conserva??o e gest?o da biodiversidade tendo como principal alvo o bem-estar social e econ?mico das comunidades locais. A lei de terras (1999), a lei do ambiente (1999) e lei de florestas e fauna bravia (1999) regulam, entre outros aspectos, a rela??o de intera??o entre o Estado, o setor privado e as comunidades locais para fins de gest?o e conserva??o dos recursos naturais. Por?m, devido a um todo contexto hist?rico-pol?tico, o Estado ainda se mant?m distanciado das comunidades, o que concorre para a marginaliza??o das comunidades locais nesse processo. Essa marginaliza??o contribui em certa medida para que ca?adores furtivos, madeireiros ilegais, e demais exploradores n?o formalizados, se fa?am valer do amparo da popula??o local como parceiras para conseguir lograr os seus intentos. Se o objetivo da implementa??o dos programas foi de aliviar a pobreza e melhorar na conserva??o da biodiversidade, ent?o os resultados mostram que, em certa medida, ambos fracassaram e carecem de uma reflex?o profunda para a sua continuidade.

Leopard Panthera pardus are an economically valuable asset and when used in sustainable consumptive use programs can provide tangible benefits to communities to improve human livelihoods and the conservation of the species. Sport hunting is increasingly proposed as a tool to generate funds to support the conservation of leopard and other large carnivores. However, to assess the value of sport hunting as a conservation tool it is critical to understand its economic impact and ensure that the off-takes are sustainable. In this study I assessed the conservation status of leopard and the ecological sustainability of legal and illegal off-take in Niassa National Reserve (NNR) the largest protected area, 42,000 km2, in Mozambique, which is inhabited by 35,000 people. I also investigated whether the revenues from leopard sport hunting off-set the costs of depredation on livestock in local communities and individual benefits from poaching by local hunters. To perform this study, I interviewed hunting operators and villagers, collected camera trapping data, and analyzed long-term leopard sport hunting data. Leopard had high value for sport hunters, however, the economic benefits from the legal hunting did not off-set the costs from livestock depredation and did not compete with benefits from the illegal hunting which accrued to individuals at the household level. Leopard population densities in Niassa Reserve were comparable with the study sites in central and southern Africa. The numbers of leopard legally hunted in NNR appear to be ecologically sustainable, however a high percentage of the leopard taken as trophies were under the recommended age of seven years. The illegal off-take was unsustainable and resulting in high turnover and combined with the operators’ off-take is likely to be negatively affecting leopard populations. For the future ecological and economic sustainability of leopard quotas, I recommend improvements in the distribution of economic benefits and creating economic incentives to encourage villagers not to engage in the illegal hunting and quantification and inclusion of the illegal off-take in the annual quotas. My study also indicates the need to zone community and wildlife areas in NNR to reduce the anthropogenic effects on leopard and other carnivore populations. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2012.