Author: Nitya Satheesh
This is the third article from our multi-part series titled, Human-wildlife Interactions.
‘Human-wildlife conflict’ refers to the adverse outcomes resulting from interactions between humans and wildlife. This could be in the form of economic loss from crop destruction, property damage, and livestock loss or even in the form of human injury or death. This is especially true in countries that are both densely populated and biologically diverse, where humans and wild animals often have to share space and resources leading to increased interactions between them.
China and India are two such countries which account for more than one-third of the global population and are among the fastest-growing economies in the world. They are also biologically-rich and contain numerous protected areas which safeguard their wildlife. In both these countries, livestock rearing is a prevalent livelihood.
Using the case studies of giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) habitat in China and tiger (Panthera tigris) habitat in India, scientists from the Centre for Wildlife Studies (India) and Duke Kunshan University (China) assessed the factors influencing people’s livestock rearing decisions. They collected data on demographics, household income, livestock grazing practices and experience of livestock loss through extensive socio-economic household surveys.
In China’s Pingwu county (Sichuan Province), the two main breeds of livestock are horses and a traditional hybrid of yak and cattle. Horses are an emergent type of livestock which have been increasingly used for meat production due to lower costs and better survival rates. They are free-grazed within giant panda habitats, which causes habitat degradation. In India’s Mysuru and Chamarajanagar districts (Karnataka state), the two main types of livestock are the traditional local cattle and hybrid cattle (European dairy cattle crossed with local breeds). The local breeds tend to be grazed close to or inside protected areas, with livestock being predated upon by tigers and leopards.
The scientists found that the rate of livestock loss was much higher in Indian households, despite higher investments and fewer livestock owned. In China, the lower rate of livestock loss due to an absence of apex predators such as wolves, bears, dholes lead to a minimal impact of loss on decisions of livestock development. This was instead influenced by the availability of agricultural land and labour.
In India, where the rate of livestock loss is high, experience with livestock loss along with financial constraints negatively influenced people’s livestock holding sizes. In India, it was also found that owning hybrid cattle was more profitable than owning domestic breeds. Since the hybrid breeds are either stall-fed rather than free-grazed in or around protected areas there was a lower rate of livestock loss.
In China, the scientists recommend that policies be put in place to limit the growth of horses as they cause more damage to giant panda habitat than other types of livestock. In India, they suggest that households be encouraged to shift from domestic to hybrid breeds with aid from local government agencies and conservation organizations. This would increase profits while also reducing the risk of human-wildlife conflict. These findings can help policymakers make better, more data-driven decisions that benefit the environment while also boosting local economies.
Original Article: Effects of livestock loss and emerging livestock types on livelihood decisions around protected areas: Case studies from China and India – Binbin V. Li, Kelley Reardon, Nitya Satheesh, Cui Liu, Krithi K. Karanth (Biological Conservation, 2020)
You can access the original article HERE.
You can access the Kannada translation HERE.
