Human-elephant conflict in the African rainforest landscape: crop-raiding situations and damage mitigation strategies in rural Gabon
While the conservation of forest elephants is a global concern, human-elephant conflict (HEC), especially crop-raiding by elephants, is a serious threat to both human livelihoods and conservation efforts. However, only a few studies have explored elephant crop-raiding and related damage mitigation s...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Conservation Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcosc.2024.1356174/full |
| _version_ | 1827341535199363072 |
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| author | Naoki Matsuura Mayuko Nomoto Saeko Terada Christian Mikolo Yobo Hervé Roland Memiaghe Hervé Roland Memiaghe Guy-Max Moussavou |
| author_facet | Naoki Matsuura Mayuko Nomoto Saeko Terada Christian Mikolo Yobo Hervé Roland Memiaghe Hervé Roland Memiaghe Guy-Max Moussavou |
| author_sort | Naoki Matsuura |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | While the conservation of forest elephants is a global concern, human-elephant conflict (HEC), especially crop-raiding by elephants, is a serious threat to both human livelihoods and conservation efforts. However, only a few studies have explored elephant crop-raiding and related damage mitigation strategies in Central Africa’s forest landscapes, which are characterized by low human and high animal densities and shifting cultivation practices. This study investigates HEC in rural Gabon, where human activities are limited, and local livelihoods are severely threatened by crop-raiding elephants. Through long-term ethnographic research and an in-depth analysis of damage mitigation practices by local people, the study unveils serious crop-raiding by elephants, leading to a significant change in the local lifestyle. Most households spend the majority of days in the field protecting crops, resulting in the village becoming almost empty. In addition to the physical burden of staying in poor living conditions, there is a considerable psychological burden for local people. Establishing effective elephant conservation systems requires understanding each local situation and evaluating the various costs to local people. To sustain livelihoods and address the challenge of HEC, it is crucial for local communities and various stakeholders to act collectively. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T21:43:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5c0912340cc245389af43b24dd949ed7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-611X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T21:43:28Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Conservation Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-5c0912340cc245389af43b24dd949ed72024-02-26T04:34:35ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Conservation Science2673-611X2024-02-01510.3389/fcosc.2024.13561741356174Human-elephant conflict in the African rainforest landscape: crop-raiding situations and damage mitigation strategies in rural GabonNaoki Matsuura0Mayuko Nomoto1Saeko Terada2Christian Mikolo Yobo3Hervé Roland Memiaghe4Hervé Roland Memiaghe5Guy-Max Moussavou6School of Human Sciences, Sugiyama Jogakuen University, Nisshin, JapanGraduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, JapanCollege of Arts and Sciences, Tamagawa University, Machida, JapanInstitut de Recherche en Écologie Tropicale, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique (IRET/CENAREST), Libreville, GabonInstitut de Recherche en Écologie Tropicale, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique (IRET/CENAREST), Libreville, GabonDepartment of Landscape Architecture, School of Architecture and Environment, College of Design, University of Oregon, Eugene, United StatesInstitut de Recherches en Sciences Humaines, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique (IRSH/CENAREST), Libreville, GabonWhile the conservation of forest elephants is a global concern, human-elephant conflict (HEC), especially crop-raiding by elephants, is a serious threat to both human livelihoods and conservation efforts. However, only a few studies have explored elephant crop-raiding and related damage mitigation strategies in Central Africa’s forest landscapes, which are characterized by low human and high animal densities and shifting cultivation practices. This study investigates HEC in rural Gabon, where human activities are limited, and local livelihoods are severely threatened by crop-raiding elephants. Through long-term ethnographic research and an in-depth analysis of damage mitigation practices by local people, the study unveils serious crop-raiding by elephants, leading to a significant change in the local lifestyle. Most households spend the majority of days in the field protecting crops, resulting in the village becoming almost empty. In addition to the physical burden of staying in poor living conditions, there is a considerable psychological burden for local people. Establishing effective elephant conservation systems requires understanding each local situation and evaluating the various costs to local people. To sustain livelihoods and address the challenge of HEC, it is crucial for local communities and various stakeholders to act collectively.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcosc.2024.1356174/fullhuman-elephant conflictdamage mitigationsocial changesforest landscapeGabonLoxodonta cyclotis |
| spellingShingle | Naoki Matsuura Mayuko Nomoto Saeko Terada Christian Mikolo Yobo Hervé Roland Memiaghe Hervé Roland Memiaghe Guy-Max Moussavou Human-elephant conflict in the African rainforest landscape: crop-raiding situations and damage mitigation strategies in rural Gabon Frontiers in Conservation Science human-elephant conflict damage mitigation social changes forest landscape Gabon Loxodonta cyclotis |
| title | Human-elephant conflict in the African rainforest landscape: crop-raiding situations and damage mitigation strategies in rural Gabon |
| title_full | Human-elephant conflict in the African rainforest landscape: crop-raiding situations and damage mitigation strategies in rural Gabon |
| title_fullStr | Human-elephant conflict in the African rainforest landscape: crop-raiding situations and damage mitigation strategies in rural Gabon |
| title_full_unstemmed | Human-elephant conflict in the African rainforest landscape: crop-raiding situations and damage mitigation strategies in rural Gabon |
| title_short | Human-elephant conflict in the African rainforest landscape: crop-raiding situations and damage mitigation strategies in rural Gabon |
| title_sort | human elephant conflict in the african rainforest landscape crop raiding situations and damage mitigation strategies in rural gabon |
| topic | human-elephant conflict damage mitigation social changes forest landscape Gabon Loxodonta cyclotis |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcosc.2024.1356174/full |
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