26 research outputs found
Primate Conservation & Endangered Species Hunting in Madagascar
Ever wonder, âWho hunts endangered species and why?â Borgersonâs research demonstrates the importance of understanding human incentives when designing conservation action. Dr. Cortni Borgerson is excited to share with us her efforts working with local communities to better understand and improve food security in areas of high biodiversity, so that we may simultaneously support forests and the people who live within them
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Illegal Hunting on the Masoala Peninsula of Madagascar: Its Extent, Causes, and Impact on Lemurs and Humans
Two of the greatest challenges we face in the world today are: (1) reducing human poverty and malnutrition; and (2) slowing the loss of global biodiversity. Madagascar ranks nearly last in global food security, and is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. Within Madagascar, the Masoala Peninsula is one of our greatest conservation priorities. I use one year (July 2011 â June 2012) of lemur surveys, habitat sampling, direct observations of forest mammal hunting, eleven months of daily 24-hour recall surveys, and interviews of all households in one focal village on the Masoala peninsula of Madagascar to examine the extent of illegal hunting, its causes, and its impact on endangered lemurs and humans. I found that members of 97% of households ate forest mammals in the prior year and 26% of men intentionally trapped lemurs. While this hunting had a greater impact than habitat loss on Eulemur albifrons, habitat loss had a greater impact than trapping on Varecia rubra. There was strong seasonal variation in hunting; lemurs and bushpigs were predominately targeted during the cool, wet austral winter, and carnivorans were targeted during the warm austral summer because of seasonal variation in prey characteristics. Forest animals were caught largely for individual consumption, and were not intended for sale or economic gain. Poverty and health most accurately predicted a manâs decision to engage in illegal lemur trapping. Notably, neither working in ecotourism nor knowledge of hunting laws had an impact on the decision to trap lemurs. These findings support growing evidence that the key to successful lemur conservation may be improving rural human health and welfare. By modeling this dynamic human, lemur, and forest system, I also simulated the futures of lemurs, human, and their shared habitats under different conservation scenarios. This dissertation exemplifies a growing trend in conservation research: rather than focusing strictly on the ecological needs of endangered primate species, researchers are studying the interactions of primates and humans in shared habitat spaces
A Habitat Stronghold on the Precipice: A callâtoâaction for supporting lemur conservation in northeast Madagascar
The northeast of Madagascar is as diverse as it is threatened. The area bordering the Analanjirofo and SAVA regions contains six protected areas and at least 22 lemur species. Many applied research and conservation programs have been established in the region with the aim of ensuring both wildlife and people thrive in the long term. While most of the remaining humid evergreen forest of northeast Madagascar is formally protected, the local human population depends heavily on the land, and unsustainable natural resource use threatens this biodiversity hotspot. Drawing from our collective experiences managing conservation activities and research programs in northeast Madagascar, we discuss the major threats to the region and advocate for eight conservation activities that help reduce threats and protect the environment, providing specific examples from our own programs. These include (1) empowering local conservation actors, (2) ensuring effectively protected habitat, (3) expanding reforestation, (4) establishing and continuing long-term research and monitoring, (5) reducing food insecurity, (6) supporting environmental education, (7) promoting sustainable livelihoods, and (8) expanding community health initiatives. Lastly, we provide a list of actions that individuals can take to join us in supporting and promoting lemur conservation
An evaluation of the interactions among household economies, human health, and wildlife hunting in the Lac Alaotra wetland complex of Madagascar
In Madagascar, wildlife conservation and human food security and nutrition are deeply interconnected as many people rely on wild foods for sustenance. The Lac Alaotra wetland complex is an ecoregion which is indispensable to both the future food security of Madagascarâs people and the conservation of its endemic wildlife. The region is Madagascarâs largest rice production area, providing thousands of tons of rice and fish to the residents of one of the worldâs least food secure nations. The wetland complex also provides habitat to numerous threatened species, including two Critically Endangered mammals found only in the Lac Alaotra wetland complex. Environmental managers must understand how people affect their local environment and how the environment, in turn, affects these people, their livelihoods, and their motivations for future natural resource use. Without an adequate understanding of the complex interactions of local people and their natural environment, it will be impossible to prevent, mitigate, or adapt to future unwanted changes in this complex social-ecological system. We used health assessments of 1 953 residents and semistructured interviews of members of 485 households in 1 9 communities within the Lac Alaotra wetland complex to investigate human-environmental interactions (including current natural resource use and hunting, and how these behaviors affect local economies and human wellbeing). Our team found that, while rates of wildlife consumption were very low throughout the region, the members of 485 surveyed households ate 975 mammals in 2013, including at least 1 6 Alaotra gentle lemurs. Thirteen percent of households had consumed wildlife in 201 3 and less than 1% of hunted wildlife was sold. Employment rates and annual income were both higher than other regions in Madagascar, and food costs were comparatively low. Nevertheless, 98% of households experienced food insecurity, and coping mechanisms (e.g., reducing portion sizes) appear to disproportionately affect young children and non-working members of households. Half of households did not receive the minimum recommended kilocalories per person per day. We found high rates of child malnutrition consistent with national rural statistics. While wildlife consumption does not appear to have significant economic or health benefits in the communities in the Alaotra wetland complex, high food insecurity significantly increased the number of forest and marshland mammals eaten by households. To improve child nutrition and wildlife conservation, we recommend targeted interventions that improve food security
The use of natural resources to improve household income, health, and nutrition within the forests of Kianjavato, Madagascar
Understanding natural resource extraction in Madagascar is key to developing wider conservation and management strategies that ensure the continued delivery of essential ecosystem services, and the development of health and economic strategies to meet the demands of a growing human population. In the Kianjavato lowland rainforest of southeastern Madagascar, 78% of lemur species, 83% of native carnivoran species, and 67% of frugivorous bat species are threatened with extinction. All three of these groups of mammals are commonly hunted for food in other regions of Madagascar, yet we know little about current levels of hunting or whether the use of forest resources significantly affects human welfare in this region. We used health assessments of 1267 Kianjavato residents and semi-structured interviews of members of 336 households in 17 communities in Kianjavato to investigate human-environmental interactions. We found high prevalence of child and teenage malnutrition. More than half of the population under 20 years old was stunted, more than half was underweight, and more than one fifth was wasted. Further, one in six residents were anemic. We found that Kianjavatoâs forests provided essential ecosystem services for its rural communities. As Kianjavatoâs forests are altered to meet the needs of a growing human population, these direct-use ecosystem services (such as the use of wild animals for food or plants for medicine) are unable to similarly expand to meet the basic needs of the families living in these forests. A worrying proportion of the Kianjavato population depends on forests to meet their healthcare, nutritional, and economic needs, yet they may be failing to do so. All surveyed households (100%) depended on forests to meet their healthcare needs and 40% of the regional economy involved the extraction of finite forest resources (i.e., precious stones). Most households consumed very little wildlife (two animals per household per year) and the great majority (83%) of the forest animals they ate were not threatened with extinction. Forty percent of wildlife were caught illegally. Although hunting is likely not imperiling local wildlife at present, 16% of the Kianjavato population hunts wildlife and 20% are malnourished. The ecosystem services of Kianjavatoâs forests may currently be insufficient to meet the needs of residents. Therefore, targeted efforts to increase local access to the healthcare system and to improve household nutrition and economy by improving the production and stability of local agricultural products may increase the long-term sustainability of both wildlife hunting, household incomes, and regional food security. Efforts such as these that can expand with the growing population to meet future needs may help secure the sustainable use of essential ecosystem services for the long term, improving the health of local people and maintaining the integrity of the forests in which they live. RĂ©sumĂ©Comprendre l'utilisation des ressources naturelles Ă Madagascar est essentiel pour dĂ©velopper des stratĂ©gies de conservation et de gestion plus larges qui permettent Ă la fois de fournir des services Ă©cosystĂ©miques et de dĂ©velopper des stratĂ©gies sanitaires et Ă©conomiques afin de rĂ©pondre aux besoins d'une population humaine toujours croissante. Dans la forĂȘt tropicale humide de basse altitude de Kianjavato dans le sud-est de Madagascar, 78% des espĂšces de lĂ©muriens, 83% des espĂšces de carnivores indigĂšnes et 67% des espĂšces de chauves-souris frugivores sont menacĂ©s d'extinction. Ces trois groupes de mammifĂšres sont gĂ©nĂ©ralement chassĂ©s dans d'autres rĂ©gions de Madagascar, mais nous en savons peu sur les niveaux actuels de chasse ou si l'utilisation des ressources forestiĂšres affecte significativement le bien-ĂȘtre humain dans cette rĂ©gion. Nous avons conduit une Ă©valuation sanitaire sur 1267 habitants de Kianjavato, ainsi que des entretiens semi-structurĂ©s avec des membres de 336 mĂ©nages dans 17 communautĂ©s de Kianjavato afin dâĂ©tudier les interactions entre lâHomme et lâenvironnement. Nous avons constatĂ© une forte prĂ©valence de la malnutrition chez les enfants et les adolescents. Plus de la moitiĂ© de la population ĂągĂ©e de moins de 20 ans souffre d'un retard de croissance, plus de la moitiĂ© dâune insuffisance pondĂ©rale et plus d'un cinquiĂšme dâĂ©maciation. En outre, un rĂ©sident sur six est anĂ©mique. Nous avons constatĂ© que les forĂȘts de Kianjavato fournissent des services Ă©cosystĂ©miques essentiels Ă ces communautĂ©s rurales. Comme les forĂȘts de Kianjavato sont altĂ©rĂ©es pour rĂ©pondre aux besoins d'une population croissante, ces services Ă©cosystĂ©miques Ă usage direct (tels que la consommation d'animaux sauvages ou des plantes mĂ©dicinales) ne peuvent plus couvrir les besoins fondamentaux des familles qui y vivent. Une proportion inquiĂ©tante de la population de Kianjavato dĂ©pend des forĂȘts quant Ă ses besoins sanitaires, nutritionnels et Ă©conomiques, cependant ces derniĂšres ne peuvent plus y pourvoir entiĂšrement. Tous les mĂ©nages enquĂȘtĂ©s (100%) comptent sur la forĂȘt pour la satisfaction de leurs besoins sanitaires. Par ailleurs, lâexploitation de ressources forestiĂšres finies (extraction de pierres prĂ©cieuses) reprĂ©sente 40% de lâĂ©conomie rĂ©gionale. La plupart des mĂ©nages consommaient trĂšs peu d'animaux sauvages (deux animaux par mĂ©nage par an) et la grande majoritĂ© (83%) des animaux forestiers qu'ils mangeaient n'Ă©taient pas menacĂ©s d'extinction. Cependant, 40% de ces animaux forestiers ont Ă©tĂ© capturĂ©s de maniĂšre illicite. Certes la chasse ne menace pas actuellement la faune locale mais 16% de la population de Kianjavato reconnaĂźt sây adonner et 20% souffrent de malnutrition. Les services Ă©cosystĂ©miques sâavĂšrent actuellement insuffisants pour rĂ©pondre aux besoins des rĂ©sidents. Il est par consĂ©quent nĂ©cessaire de cibler les efforts pour accroĂźtre lâaccĂšs local au systĂšme de santĂ©, ensuite pour amĂ©liorer la nutrition et lâĂ©conomie des mĂ©nages (amĂ©liorer la production et la stabilitĂ© des produits agricoles locaux), et tout ceci dans le but dâaugmenter la viabilitĂ© Ă long terme de la chasse, des revenus et de la sĂ©curitĂ© alimentaire dans cette rĂ©gion. De tels efforts lorsquâils prennent en compte la croissance de la population - et donc ses besoins futurs accrus âpeuvent aider Ă assurer lâutilisation durable des services Ă©cosystĂ©miques, Ă amĂ©liorer la santĂ© des populations locales, et en fin de compte, Ă maintenir lâintĂ©gritĂ© des forĂȘts dans lesquelles elles vivent
The use of natural resources to improve household income, health, and nutrition within the forests of Kianjavato, Madagascar
Understanding natural resource extraction in Madagascar is key to developing wider conservation and management strategies that ensure the continued delivery of essential ecosystem services, and the development of health and economic strategies to meet the demands of a growing human population. In the Kianjavato lowland rainforest of southeastern Madagascar, 78% of lemur species, 83% of native carnivoran species, and 67% of frugivorous bat species are threatened with extinction. All three of these groups of mammals are commonly hunted for food in other regions of Madagascar, yet we knew little about current levels of hunting or whether the use of forest resources significantly affects human welfare in this region. We used health assessments of 1 267 Kianjavato residents and semi-structured interviews of members of 336 households in 1 7 communities in Kianjavato to investigate human-environmental interactions. We found high prevalence of child and teenage malnutrition. More than half of the population under 20 years old was stunted, more than half was underweight, and more than one fifth was wasted. Further, one in six residents were anemic. We found that Kianjavatoâs forests provided essential ecosystem services for its rural communities. As Kianjavatoâs forests are altered to meet the needs of a growing human population, these direct-use ecosystem services (such as the use of wild animals for food or plants for medicine) are unable to similarly expand to meet the basic needs of the families living in these forests. A worrying proportion of the Kianjavato population depends on forests to meet their healthcare, nutritional, and economic needs, yet they may be failing to do so. All surveyed households (1 00%) depended on forests to meet their healthcare needs and 40% of the regional economy involved the extraction of finite forest resources (i.e., precious stones). Most households consumed very little wildlife (two animals per household per year) and the great majority (83%) of the forest animals they ate were not threatened with extinction. Forty percent of wildlife were caught illegally. Although hunting is likely not imperiling local wildlife at present, 1 6% of the Kianjavato population hunts wildlife and 20% are malnourished. The ecosystem services of Kianjavatoâs forests may currently be insufficient to meet the needs of residents. Therefore, targeted efforts to increase local access to the healthcare system and to improve household nutrition and economy by improving the production and stability of local agricultural products may increase the long-term sustainability of wildlife hunting, household incomes, and regional food security. Efforts such as these that can expand with the growing population to meet future needs may help secure the sustainable use of essential ecosystem services for the long term, improving the health of local people and maintaining the integrity of the forests in which they live
Wildlife hunting in complex human-environmental systems: How understanding natural resource use and human welfare can improve conservation in the Ankarafantsika National Park, Madagascar
Conservation officials work to manage complex and interacting human-environmental systems, where balancing needs between the two systems can become a source of tension. This study presents information on the use of natural resources by, and the health and welfare of, rural communities within and near Ankarafantsika National Park (ANP) in northwestern Madagascar. We focus on behaviors that are difficult for natural resource managers to measure themselves, including the hunting of threatened and protected wildlife and on sensitive information about humanwealth, health, and food security. We surveyed 41 9 households and measured the health of 1 860 individuals in 1 8 communities adjacent to or within the boundaries of ANP. We found a very high prevalence of child malnutrition, illness, and food insecurity and a heavy reliance on natural products to meet subsistence needs. More than 90% of the population reported that they hunted wildlife and harvested wild vegetables at least one day during the prior week as a direct means to cope with their food insecurity. Further, we found a high reliance on the forest for both healthcare and the building of adequate shelter. Efforts to improve overall food security would likely improve both human welfare and the long-term conservation of the threatened wildlife and habitat of Ankarafantsika. These data can help both conservation and community livelihood programs to find integrated solutions to the shared challenges of improving the well-being of human populations and the protection of Madagascarâs unique, endemic, and highly threatened biodiversity.
Les gestionnaires oeuvrant pour la protection de la nature sont gĂ©nĂ©ralement confrontĂ©s Ă des systĂšmes socio-Ă©cologiques complexes et interactifs dans lesquels la recherche de lâĂ©quilibre entre les besoins de ces deux systĂšmes peut sâavĂ©rer ĂȘtre une source de tension. Cette Ă©tude prĂ©sente des informations sur l'utilisation des ressources naturelles par les communautĂ©s rurales riveraines du parc national d'Ankarafantsika (PNA) dans le nord-ouest de Madagascar, ainsi que sur la santĂ© et le bien-ĂȘtre de ces communautĂ©s. LâĂ©tude sâest en particulier orientĂ©e sur les comportementsdifficiles Ă mesurer pour les gestionnaires de ressources naturelles, Ă savoir la chasse d'animaux sauvages menacĂ©s et protĂ©gĂ©s et les informations portant sur lâopulence, la santĂ© et la sĂ©curitĂ© alimentaire des gens. Une enquĂȘte a Ă©tĂ© rĂ©alisĂ©e auprĂšs de 41 9 mĂ©nages et lâĂ©tat de santĂ© de 1 860 personnes a Ă©tĂ© mesurĂ© dans 1 8 communautĂ©s vivant Ă la pĂ©riphĂ©rie ou Ă lâintĂ©rieur des limites du PNA. Une trĂšs forte prĂ©valence de la malnutrition infantile a Ă©tĂ© observĂ©e ainsi que diverses pathologies, une insĂ©curitĂ© alimentaire et une dĂ©pendance importante Ă l'Ă©gard des produits naturels pour rĂ©pondre aux besoins de subsistance. Plus de 90% de la population a dĂ©clarĂ© qu'elle avait chassĂ© des animaux et rĂ©coltĂ© des plantes sauvages au moins un jour au cours de la semaine prĂ©cĂ©dente, Ă titre de moyen direct pour faire face Ă l' insĂ©curitĂ© alimentaire. Une forte dĂ©pendance Ă l'Ă©gard des forĂȘts a Ă©galement Ă©tĂ© notĂ©e pour les produits destinĂ©s Ă la santĂ© et la construction de maisons. Les efforts visant Ă amĂ©liorer la sĂ©curitĂ© alimentaire dans son ensemble pourraient vraisemblablement amĂ©liorer le bien-ĂȘtre humain aussi bien que la conservationĂ long terme de la faune et des habitats menacĂ©s de l'Ankarafantsika. Ces donnĂ©es peuvent aider les programmes de conservation et de subsistance de la communautĂ© Ă trouver des solutions intĂ©grĂ©es aux problĂšmes communs de lâamĂ©lioration du bien-ĂȘtre des populations humaines et de la protection de la biodiversitĂ© unique, endĂ©mique et hautement menacĂ©e de Madagascar