Enlazando el paisaje : el papel de los corredores y la conectitividad en la conservación de la vida silvestre

The Tarija region of southern Bolivia encompasses four ecosystems, including the critically endangered Inter-Andean dry forests. Much of the forest composition has changed as a result of intensive human intervention. Despite the severe fragmentation and habitat loss, the valleys are considered important centres for plant endemism, and it is home to the largest carnivores of South America, Andean bear Tremarctos ornatus, jaguar Panthera onca and puma Puma concolor. The area is prone to the effects of climate change with severe droughts
affecting agriculture, with up to 80 percent crop losses in 2015.

Following a regional assessment on the distribution of Andean bears in 2010, researchers received reports from local communities regarding Andean bears attacking and killing cattle in the Tarija region, with retaliation against the bears ensuing. Researchers were surprised by these reports as the presence of bears had not been documented in the area. However, in 2016, a camera trap study was initiated by Chester Zoo, Protección Medio Ambiente Tarija (PROMETA) and the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU) and confirmed the presence of a reproductive population of Andean bears (mother and cub) in the region. These findings became the trigger to start the Andean Bears and People Project in 2018, a collaboration between Chester Zoo, PROMETA, WildCRU, Centro de Estudios Regionales de Tarija (CERDET), Instituto de Investigación y Capacitacion Campesina (IICA) and the Natural History Museum Alcides d’Orbigny.

Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) is one of four parks in the world adjacent to a large metropolis, that occupies about 100 km2 with a minimum density of ~20 000 people/km2 and contains diverse wildlife such as chital Axis axis, sambhar Rusa unicolor, mugger crocodiles Crocodylus palustris, macaques Macaca mulatta and leopard Panthera pardus.

These incidents coincided with an increase in the number of leopards captured and translocated to the area. In 2011, discussions on addressing these issues were initiated with the authorities in the area.

The Rungwa-Ruaha landscape in United Republic of Tanzania at nearly 50 000 km2 is one of the most important wildlife areas in Africa and it supports one of the world’s largest remaining populations of lions Panthera leo and globally significant populations of African wild dogs Lycaon pictus, cheetahs Acinonyx jubatus, leopards Panthera pardus and spotted hyaenas Crocuta crocuta.

Lying adjacent to the southern border of the unfenced protected area is village land, forming an important habitat for large carnivores, especially in the wet season. The landscape is also an important movement corridor for pastoralists linking rangelands, which result in the region having very high rates of human-wildlife conflict. Research in the area found that over 98% of people reported problems with wildlife, with livestock depredation cited as the main concern.

Despite the initial data showing high levels of conflict, prior to 2009, there had been little targeted research on human-carnivore conflict drivers, dynamics and mitigation in the Ruaha landscape. To help fill this gap, and also to provide more information on large carnivore ecology in the area, the Ruaha Carnivore Project (RCP) was founded in 2009. In 2020, RCP merged with work being done in Kenya and Zambia to form Lion Landscapes, one of the largest locally-based carnivore conservation organizations in the world.

A regional workshop was held to develop a shared understanding of the IUCN global Red List criteria, threat categories and the process of listing species according to the threat of extinction with an emphasis on lessons learned, key constraints and priority needs. The report presents country status reports from Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam, plus conclusions and recommendations.