Introduction

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Human Wildlife Conflict : Experience around Bwindi I N.P

Emmanuel Akampulira Institute of Tropical Forest Conservation Mbarara University of Science and Technology

Presentation Outline

Introduction

HWC around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

HWC interventions around BINP

HWC interventions: Successes and Challenges

Opportunities

Lessons learned

IntroductionHWC occur when the needs and behavior of wildlife impact

negatively on the goals of humans.OR when the goals of humans negatively impact on the needs of

wildlife. Includes: Crop and livestock raiding, human injury, encroachment

on wildlife resources, disease transmission etc)

Introduction Cont’d

• The main cause of HWC is the competition of resources between growing human populations and wildlife.

• HWC will often result into conflict between human and human

• When people feel the values of wildlife are put before their livelihood

• Or when they feel inadequately empowered to mitigate the problem

HWC around BINP

HWC vary with location and sometimes seasons

Elephants in south (dry season) and southeast (wet season)

Baboons raids frequent around North Sector

Bushpigs common in southwest

Gorillas in south and southwest

Most destructive are the elephants, followed by baboons, bush

pigs , mountain gorillas, monkeys (Frequency of baboons and

bush pigs much greater)

Birds also cause significant damage to cereals

Park edge parishes and associated problem animals

Crop raiding Incidences(Source: UWA)

HWC interventions around BINP

UWA, IGCP,CTPH, Local government

HWC Interventions: successes and challenges It’ difficult to quantify the success of interventions around BINP,

with an exception of few sites (Nkuringo , Buhoma and other areas with HUGO)

Data on crop raiding incidences and extent of crop damage is unavailable in most areas and when available it is scanty.

Therefore difficult to exactly determine the impact of Interventions in relation to reducing crop raiding

Most of the evaluations on interventions have been based on perceptions. ( CARE., 2003, Musaasizi., 2006, Byamukama and Asuma., 2006, Kalpers et al.,2010, Akampulira,.,2011, Masiga et al., 2012, Babaasa et al., 2013)

Successes Cont’dNevertheless the perception based studies have:

1. Shown Mauritius thorn hedge, Tea, Baboon traps and human guarding to be some of the most successful interventions around BINP. This is collaborated by research on crop raiding patterns of wildlife by Andama, 2009 and Akampulira and Bitariho, 2015

2. Factors that determine success of interventions: Reduction in crop loss and injury to people, Education and sensitization on conflict resolution process , Real and perceived benefits to individuals and communities

3. Cost-Effectiveness analysis – measuring the benefits in non-monetary terms is also key in determining success.

Challenges with selected interventions

Opportunities:Wide range of HWC mitigation measures tested successful sites can

be used as ‘learning centres’ to other local communities and protected area managers

Revenue sharing and gorilla levy have potential to support HWC interventions

Central government commitiment support for HWC through the NDP

Interventions that are multipurpose eg Chilli and tea. Deterrents to animal raiders and provide extra income through sale

Community based HWC monitoring through structures like NCCDFEcological research on crop raiders being done and more

needed(JBN-IGCPJohn Jutus-UWA and Nicole-MPI)Continuous data collection on crop raiding important to show

impact of interventions

Lessons Learned

•No single intervention is a stand-alone solution

Lessons Learned Cont’dHaving an intervention in place does not entirely eliminate the animal

raiding problem but could merely divert it elsewhere

Local communities need to be involved in the process of selecting a mitigating intervention before it is implemented for them to own it

HWC management approaches need to be flexible so that site specific local solutions can be found to local problems-What may work in one place may not work for another

The main options for financing HWC within BINP remain direct resources such as: UWA, Revenue sharing; gorilla Levy; community camp ground revenues(NCCDF and Buhoma community Camp); and Donor funding.

Vermin control decentralised to local gov’t but lack the resources and expertise

Categories of the Mauritius thorn

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Thank you for listening