Human Carnivore Conflict And Perspectives
The conservation of carnivore species depends on a number of factors including political and economic influences as well as scientific influences. This paper discusses lethal and nonlethal methods of carnivore management, finding that successful conservation depends on “tolerant sociopolitical landscapes and favorable ecological conditions.” These authors recommend that future management involve a mix of strategies including non-lethal modification of carnivore behavior, changes in human behavior, spatial separation, and the use of lethal methods only where essential.
Article Abstract:
“Carnivore conservation depends on the sociopolitical landscape as much as the biological landscape. Changing political attitudes and views of nature have shifted the goals of carnivore management from those based on fear and narrow economic interests to those based on a better understanding of ecosystem function and adaptive management.
In parallel, aesthetic and scientific arguments against lethal control techniques are encouraging the development of nonlethal approaches to carnivore management. We anticipate greater success in modifying the manner and frequency with which the activities of humans and domestic animals intersect with those of carnivores. Success should permit carnivore populations to persist for decades despite human population growth and modification of habitat.”