Biology subjects

Crego, R. D.

Publications and source records attributed to Crego, R. D..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Mapping potential for human encounters with dangerous large mammals across a community-led Wildlife Management Area in southern Tanzania based on overlapping signs of recent activity

This study examined the spatial distribution of potential human encounters with dangerous large mammals in and adjacent to the Ifakara-Lupiro-Mang'ula Wildlife Management Area (ILUMA WMA) and Nyerere National Park (NNP) in southern Tanzania. Using published survey data collected over one year, this secondary analysis focused on four potentially dangerous large mammals: elephant (Loxodonta africana), buffalo (Syncerus caffer), hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) and hyena (Crocuta crocuta). Potential encounter risk was estimated using overlap indices based on co-occurrence of signs of wildlife and human activities. Potential encounter risk was found to be concentrated around readily identifiable foci within the study area and differed between species and distinguishable human livelihood activities. Potential for encountering the two most apparently important dangerous animals, elephant and buffalo, was closely associated with authorized fishing camps within the ILUMA WMA and the ecotone between substantially disturbed and largely intact natural land cover. The greatest potential for encountering hippopotamus occurred largely around two river beds, while hyena encounter potential was more closely associated with established villages and converted lands close to the western boundary of the ILUMA WMA. These new maps of hazard and risk suggest that effective human-wildlife conflict (HWC) mitigation in this WMA is unlikely to arise from any stand-alone intervention, but from targeted actions that reduce spatiotemporal overlap between people and wildlife by keeping them apart and/or protecting them against each other. Overall, this study demonstrates that mapping potential encounter risk based on spatiotemporal overlap of indirect activity indicators like tracks, spoor and signs provides a proactive and statistically powerful way to identify where hazardous encounters are most likely to occur, offering considerable advantages over retrospective assessments of much sparser observations of actual realised conflict events after they have already occurred. This new spatial risk mapping approach provides a framework for shifting management from reactive responses after conflict occurs towards proactive prevention.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2024

An effective model for community-based conservation around authorized fishing settlements inside a devolved Wildlife Management Area in southern Tanzania

Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) represent a relatively new institutional model for devolved, locally-led conservation in Tanzania, in which local villages set aside part of their land for wildlife conservation and manage that resource collectively, so that their stakeholder communities can collectively leverage economic and social benefits from income-generating activities like tourism. This study examines the relationship between community-defined land use plans and de facto land use practices, and the influence of the latter on the relative abundance and distribution of large wild mammals in a across the Ifakara-Lupiro-Mangula (ILUMA) WMA, which acts as a key buffer zone between Nyerere National Park (NNP) to the east and adjacent stakeholder villages to the north and west. All observed signs of wildlife and human activity were recorded across 32 locations inside ILUMA and in the permanent settlements and national park that respectively border it to the west and east. Across much of ILUMA WMA, in areas where agreed land use plans were not adhered to, rampant cattle herding and land clearing for agriculture were associated with reductions in wildlife richness and biodiversity, as well as overall ecosystem integrity. Although human settlement was also generally associated with reduced natural ecosystem integrity, some important exceptions to this rule illustrate how sustainable livelihoods for local people that are based on well-managed natural resource harvesting practices may actually enhance conservation effectiveness: Three authorised human settlements within the WMA, where fishing was the primary permitted livelihood and local communities collaborated with the WMA management, were surrounded by pristine land cover with thriving terrestrial wildlife populations. Correspondingly, the best conserved parts of the WMA not only included those closest to the boundary with the national park to the east, but also these fishing villages along the riverbank to the north, where compliance with agreed land use plans was most rigorous. Overall, this study documents a useful example of how a devolved conservation area may conditionally host resident local communities undertaking selective natural resource extraction activities and collaborate with them to achieve effective de facto conservation practices.

ecology↗