Do farmers support cheetah Acinonyx jubatus conservation in Botswana despite livestock depredation?

In Botswana a large cheetah population, with higher densities outside than inside protected areas, increases the potential of conflict with farmers because of livestock depredation. However, information on the extent of livestock depredation by cheetah and farmers’ perceptions of this has been lacki...

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Published in:Oryx Vol. 42; no. 3; pp. 430 - 436
Main Authors: Selebatso, Moses, Moe, Stein R., Swenson, Jon E.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.07.2008
Subjects:
Acinonyx jubatus
Agriculture
Botswana
Cattle
cheetah
coexistence
Community
Conservation
Education
Farmers
Farms
Ghanzi District
human-wildlife conflict
Land use
Livestock
livestock losses
National parks
Population
Predation
Protected areas
Questionnaires
Wildlife conservation
Wildlife management
Botswana
livestock losses
coexistence
Botswana
cheetah
farmers
human-wildlife conflict
Acinonyx jubatus
Ghanzi District
ISSN:0030-6053, 1365-3008
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:In Botswana a large cheetah population, with higher densities outside than inside protected areas, increases the potential of conflict with farmers because of livestock depredation. However, information on the extent of livestock depredation by cheetah and farmers’ perceptions of this has been lacking. We interviewed 123 farmers in Ghanzi District, Botswana, to assess problems caused by cheetah depredation of livestock and farmers’ attitudes towards cheetah conservation beyond protected areas. Despite livestock losses, farmers generally supported efforts to conserve cheetah, with support increasing with level of education. However, farmers felt that cheetah should not be conserved within farming areas. Land-use practice and culture related to land use played a major role in determining the level of farmers’ support for cheetah conservation beyond protected areas: high on private farms, moderate in wildlife management areas, and low on communal lands. Underreporting by farmers led to underestimation by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks of the extent and nature of cheetah conflict with farmers. This study suggests that education and active involvement of farmers in planning and decision-making concerning cheetah management would enhance farmers’ positive perception of cheetah conservation beyond protected areas.
Bibliography:ark:/67375/6GQ-4WDHMJZK-X
This paper contains supplementary material that can be found online at http://journals.cambridge.org
PII:S0030605308001154
istex:2506FC3B4775C5E8EA8165B5B8CD467C82DDB977
ArticleID:00115
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-1
content type line 14
ISSN:0030-6053
1365-3008
DOI:10.1017/S0030605308001154