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Pusparini, W.; Lubis, M.; Wijaya, D.; Kjairanis, R.I.; Kholis, M.
Assessing patterns and local perceptions of human-tiger conflict in the Leuser Landscape, Sumatra, Indonesia
2016  Conference Proceeding

At >25,000 km2 Leuser landscape is one of the largest tracks of habitat for the Critically Endangered Sumatran tiger. The long forest edge abutted by farming communities in this landscape with scattered livestock greatly increases the likelihood human-tiger conflict (HTC) in the form of injury and loss of life to livestock and people. HTC can lower local tolerance towards tiger and other wildlife considered as pests species. This may lessen support for tiger conservation efforts and increase retaliatory killings of real or perceived problem tigers. To better understand the HTC situation across the Leuser landscape, WCS conducted knowledge, attitudes and perceptions surveys on 870 respondents from 495 villages and 12 out of the 13 Leuser districts. Developing spatially-explicit models revealed Aceh Selatan district as having the highest HTC. We tested several hypothetical response scenarios that might explain HTC patterns, including reasons for tigers venturing out of the forest and predictors associated with livestock attacks. Livestock loss from HTC was found to be higher in areas with a greater number of reported pig hunts, fragmented forest, and smallholder palm oil plantations, suggesting that hunting pig as the response of wild pig crop-raiding can act as a precursor to HTC in the form of livestock attacks. Contrary to our expectation, varying levels of HTC between districts did not predict local tolerance level. Based on these key findings, we recommend reducing pig hunting by providing alternative mitigation methods to prevent crop raiding and to reduce anthropogenic pressures that lower habitat quality.

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