Bushmeat hunting and consumption is a pervasive issue in African savannahs: insights from four protected areas in Malawi

Velden, Julia Van; Wilson, Kerrie A.; Lindsey, Peter A.; McCallum, Hamish; Moyo, Boyson; Biggs, Duan

doi:10.1007/s10531-020-01944-4

Cited by 30 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…The majority of Malawian protected areas (PAs) are under similar environmental pressures to KNP, with bushmeat poaching and habitat loss prevalent (van Velden et al ., 2020) and miombo woodland the predominant forest cover (Gondwe et al ., 2019). Our leopard density estimate for KNP can therefore, be used as a baseline for PAs in Malawi.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Prior to this study, there were no estimates of leopard density from a primary miombo woodland habitat, with the only published estimate from a mosaic of five habitats where a single area of miombo woodland was surrounded by et al, 2016). The majority of Malawian protected areas (PAs) are under similar environmental pressures to KNP, with bushmeat poaching and habitat loss prevalent (van Velden et al, 2020) and miombo woodland the predominant forest cover (Gondwe et al, 2019). Our leopard density estimate for KNP can therefore, be used as a baseline for PAs in Malawi.…”

Section: Leopard Densitymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Spatial partial identity model reveals low densities of leopard and spotted hyaena in a miombo woodland

et al. 2020

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Decline in global carnivore populations has led to increased demand for assessment of carnivore densities in understudied habitats. Spatial capture-recapture (SCR) is used increasingly to estimate species densities, where individuals are often identified from their unique pelage patterns. However, uncertainty in bilateral individual identification can lead to the omission of capture data and reduce the precision of results. The recent development of the two-flank spatial partial identity model (SPIM) offers a cost-effective approach, which can reduce uncertainty in individual identity assignment and provide robust density estimates. We conducted camera trap surveys annually between 2016 and 2018 in Kasungu National Park, Malawi, a primary miombo woodland and a habitat lacking baseline data on carnivore densities. We used SPIM to estimate density for leopard (Panthera pardus) and spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta) and compared estimates with conventional SCR methods. Density estimates were low across survey years, when compared to estimates from sub-Saharan Africa, for both leopard (1.9 AE 0.19 SD adults/100 km 2) and spotted hyaena (1.15 AE 0.42 SD adults/100 km 2). Estimates from SPIM improved precision compared with analytical alternatives. Lion (Panthera leo) and wild dog (Lycaon pictus) were absent from the 2016 survey, but lone dispersers were recorded in 2017 and 2018, and both species appear limited to transient individuals from within the wider transfrontier conservation area. Low densities may reflect low carrying capacity in miombo woodlands or be a result of reduced prey availability from intensive poaching. We provide the first leopard density estimates from Malawi and a miombo woodland habitat, whilst demonstrating that SPIM is beneficial for density estimation in surveys where only one camera trap per location is deployed. The low density of large carnivores requires urgent management to reduce the loss of the carnivore guild in Kasungu National Park and across the wider transfrontier landscape.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Leopard Densitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial partial identity model reveals low densities of leopard and spotted hyaena in a miombo woodland

et al. 2020

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“…For example, if human facilities associated with the protected area are concentrated near the reserve boundaries, this can help prevent human access and associated disturbance (wildlife stress) in core areas. It could also assist in limiting and concentrating trail and road infrastructure to protected area margins, thereby discouraging illegal entry for hunting (e.g., bushmeat;van Velden et al, 2020) or other purposes, and minimising the spread of invasive alien species.…”

Section: Practice 6: Manage Human Activity In Wildlife Habitatmentioning

confidence: 99%

Land use-induced spillover: priority actions for protected and conserved area managers

Reaser¹,

Tabor²,

Becker³

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Earth systems are under ever greater pressure from human population expansion and intensifying natural resource use. Consequently, novel micro-organisms that cause disease are emerging, dynamics of pathogens in wildlife are altered by land use change bringing wildlife and people in closer contact. We provide a brief overview of the processes governing ‘land use-induced spillover’, emphasising ecological conditions that foster ‘landscape immunity’ and reduce the likelihood of wildlife that host pathogens coming into contact with people. If ecosystems remain healthy, wildlife , and people are more likely to remain healthy too. We recommend practices to reduce the risk of future pandemics through protected and conserved area management. Our proposals reinforce existing conservation strategies while elevating biodiversity conservation as a priority health measure. Pandemic prevention requires that human health be regarded as an ecological service. We call on multi-lateral conservation frameworks to recognise that protected area managers are in the frontline of public health safety.

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“…The workshop presented the concept of FCM in detail and then presented the initial group cognitive maps for hunting and consumption. We also presented detailed findings of previous research into bushmeat hunting (van Velden et al 2020a, b). The initial group cognitive maps were discussed by going through each component, relationship, and strength in detail with the group using Mental Modeler software, via a projection of these maps.…”

Section: Modification and Finalization Of The Group Cognitive Mapmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Despite this complexity, simplistic narratives around why people hunt and consume bushmeat often prevail, which obscures the multidimensional nature of this issue (Travers et al 2019a). Although generating income and providing meat for households are primary motivators for hunting, bushmeat may serve many purposes, including maintaining cultural traditions and managing damage from wildlife or because hunting is perceived as a right (van Velden et al 2020a, Lindsey et al 2013. Managers and decision makers therefore often struggle to fully visualize the bushmeat hunting and consumption systems, leading to the implementation of interventions based on limited evidence (Coad and Wicander 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding the bushmeat hunting crisis in African savannas using fuzzy cognitive mapping and stakeholder knowledge

Velden¹,

Moyo²,

Ross³

et al. 2020

E&S

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Critical conservation issues such as bushmeat hunting, which exist in complex social, political, and policy landscapes, require the incorporation of diverse sources of knowledge as a key aspect of decision making. We demonstrate the utilization of both individual and collective stakeholder knowledge to contribute toward decision making. We used fuzzy cognitive mapping in a twostage process to investigate bushmeat hunting and consumption in Malawi as a case study, and arrived at models of the bushmeat hunting and consumption systems in the form of cognitive maps. We also explored the effect of three different intervention scenarios, namely wildlife farming, microenterprise initiatives, and ecotourism. We found that the concept of hunting was perceived as more complex than consumption, and that poverty, human population, and political will were shared as important drivers of both issues. The two-stage process we used indicated that individual and group phases were equally important. Key concepts were drawn out during the individual elicitation stage, while the participatory group phase allowed nuanced understanding of many of these concepts. We found that wildlife farming was predicted to be the most effective scenario for meeting many of the key state outcomes for both hunting and consumption. These results provide an example of using fuzzy cognitive mapping in a multistage process and illustrate its utility for arriving at decisions regarding interventions in complex social-ecological systems.

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Bushmeat hunting and consumption is a pervasive issue in African savannahs: insights from four protected areas in Malawi

Cited by 30 publications

References 48 publications

Spatial partial identity model reveals low densities of leopard and spotted hyaena in a miombo woodland

Spatial partial identity model reveals low densities of leopard and spotted hyaena in a miombo woodland

Land use-induced spillover: priority actions for protected and conserved area managers

Understanding the bushmeat hunting crisis in African savannas using fuzzy cognitive mapping and stakeholder knowledge

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