Conservation, conflict and costs : living with large mammals in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, India

摘要: Human-wildlife conflict is a growing obstacle to biodiversity conservation, while the resulting consequences continue hamper sustainable development. The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in Western Ghats South India, characterises mosaic of land use and human privilege poverty, case-study for wide range conflicts with endangered large mammals such as tiger Asian elephant. This thesis explored social, ecological economic contexts wildlife over livelihood production systems, namely agriculture livestock, taking an interdisciplinary approach determine key drivers losses perceptions, ascertain effectiveness decision-making process behind choices mitigation measures, understand how implementation more effective community-based solutions may be established. The presence intensity driven by habitat degradation, forest proximity, crop or livestock holding extent, perceptions are strongly linked proportional loss investment. most intervention methods were electric fences protect crops, guarding sheds corrals livestock. Households prefer establish around fields, given institutional failings effectively maintaining protected areas; utilise practices, but hampered issues cost labour effort. majority households believe that government Forest Department should responsible managing conflicts, accepting very little personal responsibility. Collective action through community co-operatives can enable access expensive technologies fencing, co-operation improved if schemes recognise importance landholder demographics assessing costs benefits, base contributions on risk, minimise pre-imposed constraints, problems heterogeneity. Reducing risks from improving systems potential powerful incentive conservation.