Episode 034 - Case Study: Key Factors that Drive Human-Wildlife Conflict

One of the reasons I launched the Projects for Wildlife podcast was specifically to discuss human-wildlife conflict, what it is, why it exists, and how we can coexist with wildlife. And most importantly how do we set up projects that will create benefits for humans and wildlife. With climate change, loss of habitat, the expanding human population there will be more biodiversity conflicts and challenges - this means more human-wildlife conflict. This prediction has been shared among the scientific community world wide - and it is up to us to decide how to use the best available science to reduce conflict and develop strategies to achieve conservation goals and sustainable living among human populations. There is both a wildlife conservation view point and a human sustainability issue that is at the core of most human-wildlife conflict. If we are to protect wildlife we have to address the human issues. In most countries the first wildlife management strategy used by the government is to kill an animal or population. Even in first world countries like the U.S. - the Wildlife Services Department kills wildlife instead of find non-lethal solutions. In the U.S. there is a change in beliefs on how wildlife are managed. With questions like “how should managers handle human-wildlife conflict, endangered species restoration, and predator control?” In this episode I talk about two different studies about attitudes of conservation and key factors that drive human-wildlife conflict.