Human-Wildlife Conflicts: Turning conflicts into coexistence - Vol 3 Sneak Peek
Conflict between wildlife and humans causes problems across the globe. Elen Peel outlines some examples, how they’ve been managed, and lessons for the future.
Article by: Elen Peel
Artwork by: Katie de Lusignan
Human-wildlife conflicts are a major threat to natural wildlife populations throughout the world.
WWF has defined human-wildlife conflicts as “any interaction between humans and wildlife that results in negative impacts of human social, economic or cultural life, on the conservation of wildlife populations, or on the environment.”
These conflicts have occurred throughout history, but have become more frequent and severe over recent decades as human populations have grown and encroached on previously uninhabited areas, and as a result, natural habitats have been lost and species populations are declining.
Below are some examples of human-wildlife conflicts, and attempts that have been used to manage and mitigate them.
Wolves
Wolves, like many other predator species, were very nearly eradicated throughout Europe in the 19th and 20th centuries to prevent them from preying on livestock.
In Romania, the wolf was historically portrayed as the “enemy of the people” and was the target of hunting and poisoning. However, the wolf became a protected species in the 1990s and a complete ban on wolf hunting arose in 2016. Nowadays, livestock are protected from wolves via a combination of electric fences and livestock guarding dogs.
In recent years the population has recovered, with approximately 12,000 individuals across Europe.
Wolves are particularly important as they are keystone species, they keep prey numbers such as boar and deer at healthy population sizes.
Philippine Crocodiles
Philippine Crocodiles are critically endangered, with less than 100 mature crocodiles left in the wild.
Currently, the species only survives in northern Sierra Madre on Luzon and the Liguasan Marsh on Mindanao.
The species plays an important role in the environment; not only do they regulate prey numbers, but they also create habitats for other animals by burrowing and nest building.
The Philippine crocodile are legally protected (by virtue of the Wildlife Act, Republic Act 9147), however, this has not stopped the crocodiles from being killed for food, and out of fear.
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