Date of Award
Spring 6-14-2025
Document Type
Undergraduate Capstone Project
Degree Name
B.A. in Anthropology
Organizational Unit
College of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences, Anthropology
First Advisor
Oliver C. Nyakunga
Second Advisor
Oscar Paschal
Third Advisor
Bonnie Clark
Copyright Statement / License for Reuse
All Rights Reserved.
Keywords
Human wildlife conflict, Primatology, Conservation, Wildlife conflict mitigation, Ethnoprimatology
Abstract
Human-wildlife conflict is a widespread challenge faced by those living in regular contact with wildlife that can have profound impacts on livelihood outcomes for humans, wildlife, and their shared environment (Barua et al., 2013; Blackie, 2023). Human – non-human primate conflict is particularly crucial due to primates’ high capacity to live among human populations (Chapman & Chapman, 1990; Alberts & Altmann, 2006; Reader et al., 2011; Sinha & Vijayakrishnan, 2017), and is currently on the rise due to increasing contact between human and non-human primates (Hockings, 2016; Uddin et al., 2020). To characterize and analyze techniques currently being used to mitigate human – non-human primate conflict, this study collected data through semi-structured interviews. Over 87% (n=35) of respondents used multiple mitigation techniques simultaneously. 80% of respondents (n=32) reported using projectiles to ward off foraging primates, 75% of respondents (n=30) reported using loud noises (made either by the voice/body or by manipulating noisemakers), 67.5% (n=27) reported using crop-guards, and 7.5% (n=3) reported using physical barriers to mitigate HPC. Both fire and deterrent objects (in this case, a scarecrow) were reported in use by one participant each. While fire had the highest possible average effectiveness score (3), the associated costs made it much less efficient (33%). The mitigation methods with the highest overall efficiency were projectiles (44%) and crop guarding (43%). As interactions between human and non-human primate populations, it is imperative that effective mitigation techniques that prioritize the livelihoods of humans and wildlife be developed and implemented. This study recommends that communities living in close contact with wildlife benefit financially from conservation programs to mitigate financial damages from human wildlife conflict, and that mitigation techniques developed in the future place emphasis on low labor and time costs for communities.
Copyright Date
5-14-2025
Publication Statement
Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
Rights Holder
Lil Adams
Provenance
Received from author
File Format
application/pdf
Language
English (eng)
Extent
29 pgs
File Size
734 KB
Supplementary File Description
Taarifa Za Migogoro Ya Nyani
File Format: application/pdf
Language: Swahili (swa)
Extent: 1 pg
File Size: 311 KB
Research Poster
File Format: image/png
Language: English (eng)
Extent: 1 pg
File Size: 3.6 MB
Recommended Citation
Adams, Lil, "Analyzing Human - Nonhuman Primate Conflict Mitigation Techniques in Mto wa Mbu, Northern Tanzania" (2025). Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals. 46.
https://digitalcommons.du.edu/undergraduate_theses/46
Taarifa Za Migogoro Ya Nyani
Research Poster.png (3717 kB)
Research Poster
Included in
Biodiversity Commons, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons, Natural Resources and Conservation Commons, Nature and Society Relations Commons, Social and Cultural Anthropology Commons