Toward Human-Carnivore Coexistence: Understanding Tolerance for Tigers in Bangladesh
| Autor: | Shawn J. Riley, Chloe Inskip, Neil H. Carter, Douglas C. MacMillan, Thomas Roberts |
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| Rok vydání: | 2016 |
| Předmět: |
Adult
Male 0106 biological sciences Conservation of Natural Resources Livestock Adolescent Population Endangered species Wildlife lcsh:Medicine Animals Wild 010603 evolutionary biology 01 natural sciences Structural equation modeling Young Adult Surveys and Questionnaires Animals Humans Tigers Carnivore lcsh:Science education Ecosystem Aged Aged 80 and over Bangladesh education.field_of_study Cultural Characteristics Multidisciplinary Geography Public economics Tiger Ecology lcsh:R Endangered Species Stakeholder Middle Aged 15. Life on land GF Local community 010601 ecology Attitude lcsh:Q Female Psychology Research Article |
| Zdroj: | PLoS ONE PLoS ONE, Vol 11, Iss 1, p e0145913 (2016) |
| ISSN: | 1932-6203 |
| Popis: | Fostering local community tolerance for endangered carnivores, such as tigers (Panthera tigris), is a core component of many conservation strategies. Identification of antecedents of tolerance will facilitate the development of effective tolerance-building conservation action and secure local community support for, and involvement in, conservation initiatives. We use a stated preference approach for measuring tolerance, based on the 'Wildlife Stakeholder Acceptance Capacity' concept, to explore villagers' tolerance levels for tigers in the Bangladesh Sundarbans, an area where, at the time of the research, human-tiger conflict was severe. We apply structural equation modeling to test an a priori defined theoretical model of tolerance and identify the experiential and psychological basis of tolerance in this community. Our results indicate that beliefs about tigers and about the perceived current tiger population trend are predictors of tolerance for tigers. Positive beliefs about tigers and a belief that the tiger population is not currently increasing are both associated with greater stated tolerance for the species. Contrary to commonly-held notions, negative experiences with tigers do not directly affect tolerance levels; instead, their effect is mediated by villagers' beliefs about tigers and risk perceptions concerning human-tiger conflict incidents. These findings highlight a need to explore and understand the socio-psychological factors that encourage tolerance towards endangered species. Our research also demonstrates the applicability of this approach to tolerance research to a wide range of socio-economic and cultural contexts and reveals its capacity to enhance carnivore conservation efforts worldwide. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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