Role of trophy hunting and community-based conservancies in wildlife conservation in Tajikistan

In the past decades, Tajikistan has witnessed tremendous declines in wildlife populations, including the snow leopard and several of its prey species: ibex, markhor and argali sheep. However, motivated by the prospects of... [ view full abstract ]

In the past decades, Tajikistan has witnessed tremendous declines in wildlife populations, including the snow leopard and several of its prey species: ibex, markhor and argali sheep. However, motivated by the prospects of financial benefits from trophy hunting as a conservation tool, community/family-based conservancies, most of them found in the Pamir Mountains of Tajikistan, have succeeded in leading the recovery of threatened mountain ungulate species. Starting in 2008, eight community/family-based conservancies were established using a participatory approach based on Participatory Rural Appraisal as well as regular informal stakeholder interviews. The results presented are based on participatory assessments of attitudes, perceptions, cultural aspects, socio-economic situation and institutional structures in the communities, using techniques like community workshops and semi-structured interviews of focus groups and individuals. Conservation activities were evaluated according to monitoring results of mountain ungulate population numbers and trends. Since the start of the project, populations of ibex, markhor and argali in the study sites have increased by approximately 50%. Proceeds from legal sustainable trophy hunting have been invested in community projects that have further generated support for wildlife conservation. However, illegal trophy hunting, lack of transparency and corruption still threaten the work of community-based conservancies and the overall positive role that trophy hunting plays in poor, politically instable countries like Tajikistan. To conclude, in Central Asia trophy hunting, when legal and sustainable, could be an essential component of wildlife conservation and without it, many wildlife populations would be at risk of extinction. Engaging local inhabitants, through the establishment of community/family-based conservancies may prove in the long-term an effective and equitable approach to protect and manage wildlife for its sustainable usage.