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Hiller C, 't Sas-Rolfes M. Systematic review of the impact of restrictive wildlife trade measures on conservation of iconic species in southern Africa. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2024:e14262. [PMID: 38578131 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Trade restrictions are often advocated and implemented as measures to protect wild species threatened by overexploitation. However, in some instances, their efficacy has been questioned, notably by governments in the southern African (SADC) region, which tend to favor a sustainable use approach to wildlife management. We conducted a systematic review of published literature guided by the PRISMA process to examine the effectiveness of trade restrictions and directly related control measures in addressing threats to species conservation in the SADC region, with a focus on elephants (Loxodonta sp.), rhinoceroses (Ceratotherium simum, Diceros bicornis), lions (Panthera leo), and pangolins (Manis sp.). We focused in particular on the direct conservation impact of trade restrictions at species or population level, indirect conservation impact at human behavior or attitude level, and socioeconomic impact on rural livelihoods and well-being and on national economies. Research on these topics was uneven and focused strongly on the effects of trade restrictions and law enforcement on crime-related behavior. Research gaps include socioeconomic impacts of trade restrictions, including effects of international restrictions on local livelihoods and consequent secondary conservation impacts, and evaluations of attempts to disrupt criminal networks. Based on the reviewed impact evidence, the effectiveness of international trade restrictions depends on a range of fully aligned measures in countries of origin, transit, and consumption. For example, our results suggest positive ecological short-term but negative or unknown long-term socioeconomic impacts of domestic restrictions. Based on these findings, key policy requirements include more nuanced approaches to incorporate a range of appropriate measures in range, transit, and consumer countries, that focus on capacity development for early detection and apprehension of incursions inside protected areas; measures for constructive engagement with relevant local communities outside protected areas; and future research to improve understanding of the socioeconomic contribution of wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Hiller
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Michael 't Sas-Rolfes
- Oxford Martin Program on Wildlife Trade, University of Oxford, United Kingdom and African Wildlife Economy Institute, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
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Huang RM, Maré C, Guldemond RAR, Pimm SL, van Aarde RJ. Protecting and connecting landscapes stabilizes populations of the Endangered savannah elephant. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadk2896. [PMID: 38181078 PMCID: PMC10776014 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adk2896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
The influence of protected areas on the growth of African savannah elephant populations is inadequately known. Across southern Africa, elephant numbers grew at 0.16% annually for the past quarter century. Locally, much depends on metapopulation dynamics-the size and connections of individual populations. Population numbers in large, connected, and strictly protected areas typically increased, were less variable from year to year, and suffered less from poaching. Conversely, populations in buffer areas that are less protected but still connected have more variation in growth from year to year. Buffer areas also differed more in their growth rates, likely due to more threats and dispersal opportunities in the face of such dangers. Isolated populations showed consistently high growth due to a lack of emigration. This suggests that "fortress" conservation generally maintains high growth, while anthropogenic-driven source-sink dynamics within connected conservation clusters drive stability in core areas and variability in buffers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan M. Huang
- Conservation Ecology Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, South Africa
| | - Celesté Maré
- Conservation Ecology Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, South Africa
| | - Robert A. R. Guldemond
- Conservation Ecology Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, South Africa
| | - Stuart L. Pimm
- Conservation Ecology Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, South Africa
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Rudi J. van Aarde
- Conservation Ecology Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, South Africa
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Kuiper T, Altwegg R, Beale C, Carroll T, Dublin HT, Hauenstein S, Kshatriya M, Schwarz C, Thouless CR, Royle A, Milner-Gulland EJ. Drivers and facilitators of the illegal killing of elephants across 64 African sites. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20222270. [PMID: 36629103 PMCID: PMC9832558 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.2270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Ivory poaching continues to threaten African elephants. We (1) used criminology theory and literature evidence to generate hypotheses about factors that may drive, facilitate or motivate poaching, (2) identified datasets representing these factors, and (3) tested those factors with strong hypotheses and sufficient data quality for empirical associations with poaching. We advance on previous analyses of correlates of elephant poaching by using additional poaching data and leveraging new datasets for previously untested explanatory variables. Using data on 10 286 illegally killed elephants detected at 64 sites in 30 African countries (2002-2020), we found strong evidence to support the hypotheses that the illegal killing of elephants is associated with poor national governance, low law enforcement capacity, low household wealth and health, and global elephant ivory prices. Forest elephant populations suffered higher rates of illegal killing than savannah elephants. We found only weak evidence that armed conflicts may increase the illegal killing of elephants, and no evidence for effects of site accessibility, vegetation density, elephant population density, precipitation or site area. Results suggest that addressing wider systemic challenges of human development, corruption and consumer demand would help reduce poaching, corroborating broader work highlighting these more ultimate drivers of the global illegal wildlife trade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Kuiper
- Centre for Statistics in Ecology, Environment and Conservation, Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7700, South Africa,Interdisciplinary Centre for Conservation Science, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Res Altwegg
- Centre for Statistics in Ecology, Environment and Conservation, Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7700, South Africa
| | - Colin Beale
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, UK
| | - Thea Carroll
- UN programme for Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Holly T. Dublin
- Technical Advisory Group to the programme for Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Severin Hauenstein
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, UK,Department of Biometry and Environmental System Analysis, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Mrigesh Kshatriya
- UN programme for Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Carl Schwarz
- StatMathComp Consulting, Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - Andrew Royle
- U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center, MD, USA
| | - E. J. Milner-Gulland
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Conservation Science, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
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van de Water A, Di Minin E, Slotow R. Human-elephant coexistence through aligning conservation with societal aspirations. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
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