The Human-Jaguar conflict has been researched in several areas throughout the felid’s distribution range, although most frequently with a focus on mitigating depredation on livestock. Here, we present one of the first... [ view full abstract ]
The Human-Jaguar conflict has been researched in several areas throughout the felid’s distribution range, although most frequently with a focus on mitigating depredation on livestock. Here, we present one of the first studies that approach human-jaguar conflict in an area where cattle ranching is only a residual activity, situation that could represent a more “pristine” form of conflict. Understanding behaviours and attitudes in this context could provide important insights on the precursors of conflict between humans and this endangered carnivore. In the Bolivian Amazon, local communities live immersed in the forest and interact with wildlife constantly. We evaluated the conflict between jaguars and people through 528 facetoface interviews in three different locations: Manuripi National Amazonian Wildlife Reserve, Tacana II Indigenous Territory and Santa Rosa de Abuná Municipality. Using the Likert scale, we evaluated several psychometrics by gender, namely perceptions and beliefs of risk attack, attitudes, emotions and tolerance towards jaguars, and social norms around jaguar killing. We also asked about experience in jaguar killing. We detected significant differences in risk beliefs, risk perceptions, emotions and tolerance between the two genders, with women presenting a higher rate of misbelieves, of perception of jaguar attack, negative emotions and lower tolerance towards the species, while men were more neutral (X2 test, p<0.05). Our findings also revealed differences between locations. Although communities at Tacana II and Manuripi Reserve showed lower risk perception their tolerance to the jaguar presence was lower and the prevalence of misbeliefs was higher (X2 test, p<0.05). People in Tacana believe that more fellow community members kill jaguars that interviewees in Manuripi and Santa Rosa de Abuná. Of the total number of men interviewed 41% claimed to have killed jaguars in their lifetime. Based on our results, we developed several educational/outreach activities in Manuripi Reserve to address some of the misconceptions about jaguar ecology, the risk of jaguar attacks and jaguar abundance in the area. Post activities survey (51% of the people interviewed for diagnose) revealed increased positive feelings towards jaguars, decreased perception of risk, and tolerance. Nevertheless, behaviour intention (killing jaguar) wasn’t significantly different when comparing people that participated in our activities with the one’s that didn’t. In the end communities identified activities that ultimately would reduce conflict and formally pledge, with a photo, to work in favor of coexistence with the jaguar under an action plan.
Topics: Management of Human-Wildlife Conflicts: Large Carnivores in Europe , Topics: Natural Resource and Conservation Stakeholders: Managing Expectations and Engageme
