Assessment of human-carnivore conflict in Gahiret-Goleen conservancy area Chitral, Pakistan
Abstract
N. Ahmad*, S. Shabana and M. Syed
Human-carnivore conflict is a major issue that negatively impacts both carnivores and humans. Livestock predation by carnivores leads to enormous economic losses and retaliatory killings of carnivores. This study aimed to identify the occurrence, nature, and carnivores involved in conflicts, as well as the perception of local communities towards carnivores, preference ranking, causes of livestock predation, and economic costs of the conflict in the Gehrait-Goleen Conservancy Area of Chitral, Pakistan, over a two-year period (2020-2022). Interviews were conducted using a questionnaire method to assess conflicts. Severe conflicts were identified in the study area in the form of livestock predation, with wolves, snow leopards, lynxes, feral dogs, jackals, and foxes identified as predators. Wolves were perceived as the most dangerous predators of livestock in pastures by 77% of respondents, accounting for 42.9% of total livestock depredation. Due to significant damages caused by wolves, 41% of respondents favored completely eliminating their population from the area, while 48% suggested eradicating foxes. Lack of guarding and predator-proof corrals/sheds were identified by 45.33% and 21.33% of respondents, respectively, as major reasons for livestock predation. Carnivores killed a total of 313 livestock, including 107 poultry, during the past two years, resulting in a loss of USD 20758 for respondents. The huge economic loss, combined with inadequate compensation and a lack of awareness, fosters a negative perception of carnivores in the Gehrait-Goleen Conservancy Area.