When most of us leave our front door for work, we don’t imagine coming face to face with a leopard or having our crops eaten by hungry fruit bats. But this is the daily reality for millions of farmers and communities who go about their lives, living side by side with some of the world’s most endangered species. Finding a way forward that supports human needs and protects wildlife is a challenge that our teams and partners on the ground are working tirelessly to solve.
THE PROBLEM
Human-wildlife conflicts happen when animals pose a threat to the livelihood or safety of communities which then leads to the persecution of that species by local people.
Understandably, people are afraid of a tiger entering their village or frustrated by elephants trampling their crops, but this has sadly also led to a huge decline in the populations of many species
Our role as one of the world’s leading conservation charities is to bring together a group of great minds to help find clever solutions to complex problems, giving communities the best chance to safely share landscapes with wildlife for years to come.
“The long-term goal is to ADDRESS EACH OF tHE ISSUES that CAUSE CONFLICT in the first place. The GREATEST ROOM FOR CHANGE lies in HUMAN BEHAVIOUR.”
– Living with Large Carnivores Project and Terai Tiger Project
THE PROBLEM
Human-wildlife conflicts happen when animals pose a threat to the livelihood or safety of communities which then leads to the persecution of that species by local people.
Understandably, people are afraid of a tiger entering their village or frustrated by elephants trampling their crops, but this has sadly also led to a huge decline in the populations of many species
Our role as one of the world’s leading conservation charities is to bring together a group of great minds to help find clever solutions to complex problems, giving communities the best chance to safely share landscapes with wildlife for years to come.
“The long-term goal is to ADDRESS EACH OF tHE ISSUES that CAUSE CONFLICT in the first place. The GREATEST ROOM FOR CHANGE lies in HUMAN BEHAVIOUR.”
– Living with Large Carnivores Project and Terai Tiger Project
LIVING WITH LARGE CARNIVORES IN TERAI
The Terai region across India and Nepal bears the last stands of pristine wildlife habitats reminiscent of the eco-geographic zone, as well as millions of people living in numerous villages and towns. Here, sugarcane fields often stand over 10 feet tall, towering above the farmers who harvest the land to feed their families as their sole livelihood. These farmers may be tending their fields when a flash of orange may catch their eye. Startling one of India’s largest predators, the Bengal tiger, or a common leopard, is a very real prospect, and they can never be sure if the animal will flee or defend itself.
Chester Zoo's Terai Tiger Project and Living with Large Carnivores Project were created to help reduce these types of risks that hundreds of people face in areas of farmland that sit between pockets of India’s remaining forest. Loss of life is only one part of the picture, with a large amount of conflict between humans and carnivorous species like tigers and leopards, coming from killing livestock. This situation can hugely impact families, most of whom are already living in poverty.
A common theme in human-wildlife conflict scenarios with animals like big cats or elephants, is retaliatory killings. In India for example, the presence of a large carnivore can create a fearful mob who may chase off, or attempt to kill, the animal to protect their families and livestock. This is why listening to communities and working together on solutions is so important.
LIVING WITH LARGE CARNIVORES IN TERAI
The Terai region across India and Nepal bears the last stands of pristine wildlife habitats reminiscent of the eco-geographic zone, as well as millions of people living in numerous villages and towns. Here, sugarcane fields often stand over 10 feet tall, towering above the farmers who harvest the land to feed their families as their sole livelihood. These farmers may be tending their fields when a flash of orange may catch their eye. Startling one of India’s largest predators, the Bengal tiger, or a common leopard, is a very real prospect, and they can never be sure if the animal will flee or defend itself.
Chester Zoo's Terai Tiger Project and Living with Large Carnivores Project were created to help reduce these types of risks that hundreds of people face in areas of farmland that sit between pockets of India’s remaining forest. Loss of life is only one part of the picture, with a large amount of conflict between humans and carnivorous species like tigers and leopards, coming from killing livestock. This situation can hugely impact families, most of whom are already living in poverty.
A common theme in human-wildlife conflict scenarios with animals like big cats or elephants, is retaliatory killings. In India for example, the presence of a large carnivore can create a fearful mob who may chase off, or attempt to kill, the animal to protect their families and livestock. This is why listening to communities and working together on solutions is so important.
Response teams of professionals, supported by respected volunteers from within the community, work in tandem to help avoid situations that give rise to conflicts and allow safe passage to animals that come into populated areas. Distress calls are responded to, and animals are monitored and protected from conflict, as quickly as possible.
SINCE 2017
the lives of 28 endangered tigers have been saved thanks to the Terai Tiger Project! This included five Bengal tigers being moved to safe areas of the forests of Dudhwa and Pilibhit, and 23 tigers safely moved away from conflict situations.
Response teams of professionals, supported by respected volunteers from within the community, work in tandem to help avoid situations that give rise to conflicts and allow safe passage to animals that come into populated areas. Distress calls are responded to, and animals are monitored and protected from conflict, as quickly as possible.
SINCE 2017
the lives of 28 endangered tigers have been saved thanks to the Terai Tiger Project! This included five Bengal tigers being moved to safe areas of the forests of Dudhwa and Pilibhit, and 23 tigers safely moved away from conflict situations.
PREVENTION
Simple fixes to avoid conflict are key when it comes to prevention. Harvesting sugar cane or tall crops in large groups can make a huge difference in alerting any big cat that may be taking refuge in the fields. Also, making lots of noise going through a tall field alerts big cats and offers them a chance to retreat instead of being surprised.
Making sure livestock is properly monitored and kept within protective pens or corrals can also make farming safer and doesn’t give predators the opportunity of an easy meal, which could subsequently build resentment between people and wildlife.
Keen children can become wild scouts who are trained and developed into local youth ambassadors for wildlife conservation, alongside the older generation who can work with Primary Response Teams to actively respond to conflicts. They can also put their wisdom and communication skills to good use by hosting community awareness initiatives within their own villages and the wider community.
PREVENTION
Simple fixes to avoid conflict are key when it comes to prevention. Harvesting sugar cane or tall crops in large groups can make a huge difference in alerting any big cat that may be taking refuge in the fields. Also, making lots of noise going through a tall field alerts big cats and offers them a chance to retreat instead of being surprised.
Making sure livestock is properly monitored and kept within protective pens or corrals can also make farming safer and doesn’t give predators the opportunity of an easy meal, which could subsequently build resentment between people and wildlife.
Keen children can become wild scouts who are trained and developed into local youth ambassadors for wildlife conservation, alongside the older generation who can work with Primary Response Teams to actively respond to conflicts. They can also put their wisdom and communication skills to good use by hosting community awareness initiatives within their own villages and the wider community.
The volcanic Mascarene islands are a thriving hub of human communities and unique wildlife living side by side. However, the growth of human activity has brought its own challenges for the islands’ wildlife. Since 2000, we’ve been working on the islands of Mauritius and Rodrigues alongside our partner, the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation (MWF), running projects with local communities and working with them to understand the best ways to tackle the issues on the ground for both the Rodrigues fruit bat and Mauritius fruit bat.
Our work with MWF to restore habitats across Rodrigues is supporting the population of fruit bats that call Rodrigues home. Our continued long term surveys of the species help us to understand the impacts of cyclones on the population.
Mauritius fruit bats are seen as pests by many local people due to their noisy nature and consumption of common food crops. Working together with MWF and the IUCN Human-Wildlife Conflict Task Force, we've been researching and growing our knowledge of fruit bat ecology on the islands. This includes quantifying the bats damage to crops, and bringing together key groups of people to look for non-lethal answers to the conflict
The combination of COMMUNITY OUTREACH WORK and WILDLIFE MONITORING has seen SUCCESS in the last FEW DECADES, with both the MAURITIUS and rodrigues FRUIT BATs being DOWNGRADED from CRITICALLY ENDANGERED to ENDANGERED, giving hope for a future where both HUMANS and WILDLIFE can coexist for DECADES TO COME,
Bringing together leading experts to provide guidance and specialist support is a vital part of helping humans and wildlife live as harmoniously as possible. One of our Conservation Scholars, Dr Jacqueline Morrison, is looking to predict areas that are at risk of experiencing human-elephant conflict so areas can be prioritised for urgent intervention.
She truly believes that this work will provide essential information regarding the type of measures needed to mitigate conflict and help to provide long-term solutions and promote coexistence for generations to come.
Find out how you can become a conservation champion and play your part in the bigger picture!
