Human Animal Conflict

Human–Animal conflict refers to the interaction between wild animals and people and the resultant negative impact on people or their resources.

It can also refer to the negative impact on wild animals and their habitat.

It occurs when growing human populations overlap with established wildlife territory, creating reduction of resources or life to some people and/or wild animals.

Human-animal conflict is a universal problem; from tigers killing cattle in Malaysia and elephants trampling fields in Kenya to sun bears destroying corn crops in Colombia, wolves attacking sheep in Italy and Crocodiles attacking people in Luapula.

Small holder farmers who are often quite poor are sometimes forced to grow their crops near Wildlife and Game Reserve territories as these are known to have fertile and arable land.

The main animals in Zambia that are battling it out with Humans are Elephants, Hippos, and Crocodiles among others.

Others such as great apes and Chimpanzees are usually killed in retaliation for raiding crops. For example, around Kibale National Park in Uganda, chimpanzees raid crops such as banana, maize, and sugar cane on average 75 times a year.

In response, some 15% of affected farmers put out traps, snares, or poison to kill the crop-raiders a situation which is also happening in Zambia.

Farmers now lay out traps to snare animals that raid their crops, this and other types of human –animal conflicts lead to negative results.

Crop damage, Animal deaths, Damage to property and Destruction of habitat; other after effects include Injuries to people, Injuries to wildlife, Livestock depredation and sadly in many cases loss of life.

Zambia Wildllife Authority (ZAWA)  concedes that it is a challenge to safe guard communities that live near National Parks and protected areas against wildlife because both animals and humans seek to share the same space.

Mwila Readith Muliyunda who is Communications & Public Relations Officer at ZAWA said:

Human settlement in National Parks is strictly prohibited as well as being found in a National Park unaccompanied and without ZAWA’s authorization.

Ms Muliyunda also says that while Game Management Areas (GMA) are also primarily reserved for wildlife habitation, human co-existence with animals is also allowed as long as it does not interfere with wildlife development.

She says that Wildlife areas are most prone to Human animal conflict and as such wildlife police officers are stationed in all National Parks and GMA’s to respond to any cases of human wildlife conflict.

One of the safety measures taken by ZAWA is the distribution of fireworks to community members who live in areas prone to Animal threats.

The fireworks are used to scare animals that may scare away animals straying towards fields.

 “ZAWA also sends officers to go on a scaring mission through blasting of fireworks or use of live ammunition. Human wildlife conflict mitigation measures such as Chilli fences and Chilli bombs are also employed.” Says Ms Muliyunda

Growing Chilli is a method employed in many countries where Elephants are known to trample in fields .

For example, in Mozambique, communities started to grow more chilli pepper plants after making the discovery that elephants dislike and avoid plants containing capsaicin (an ingredient in chilli).

This creative and effective method prevents elephants from trampling community farmers' fields as well as protects the species

Land near Wild Life areas is very fertile and this explains why many people would choose to live there; but this obviously is dangerous.

It is not fair to assume that animals will follow the boundaries that have been set up especially if communities live very close to the Wildlife areas.

Animal instinct is basic they rush to places where water and food is as has been witnessed in areas where elephants will trample on fields just to sample little vegetable tendrils.

In areas like the Gwembe where displacement of humans and animals was absolutely human manipulated, one is at odds about whom to blame.

During the building of the Kariba Dam, Tongas who had for centuries lived  in the Gwembe Valley along the northern and southern banks of the Zambezi River where displaced to new habitats in the hills above the valley.

In 1958, 57,000 indigenous people were displaced when the entire valley was flooded to create the great Kariba Dam.

The effect this had was that people were moved to hilly areas that have unfavourable land for agriculture.

The other effect is that the animals regularly head into the villages and trample in the fields and also sometimes attack villages.

In a case where animals and humans both lay claim to an area things can become complicated, messy, and downright bloody.

Sometimes as John Siamakala who lives near Lower Zambezi says; ZAWA takes long to respond to their complaints.

“We sometimes have to take matters into our hands and find ways to scare them off.” Mr Siamakala however does not specify what those ways are.

It is quite common knowledge that when animals feel threatened they attack in retaliation and defense.

 “ZAWA’s role is unique and complex as it has to juggle and find the balance between protecting these communities from dangerous wildlife, while at the same time, ensuring that the animals are protected from human hostility and abuse, although we are not oblivious to cases where animals do stray into nearby communities,  causing the frequent human-wildlife encounters.” Ms Muliyunda says adding that:

“We understand that safeguarding communities that live near National Parks and protected areas against wildlife can be a challenge as the two, humans and animals seek to share the same space.” She says

In most cases victims are those who have entered lakes to catch fish or swim.

It is absolutely not safe to go fishing alone in a canoe.

ZAWA has been conducting annual educational campaigns in human animal conflict prone areas in order to sensitise people on safe and dangerous behaviour when conducting their business in crocodile infested rivers.

Apparently these campaigns have been intensified this year.

Ms Muliyunda says that there is also a need for stakeholders to intervene help to mobilize resources to drill boreholes, as an immediate solution for communities that rely on water from lakes and rivers.

She says that ZAWA would like to re-emphasize that the safety of every individual lies with themselves and ZAWA cannot be there all the time to provide security to people bathing in the lakes or rivers.

People should take precautionary measures if they live in areas near wildlife.

School children for example must move in groups because animals will rarely attack a group, communities should also mobilise themselves to plant chilli bushes around their fields.

There is also need for communities to keep a constant stream of Communication with ZAWA who should in turn have an open door policy to enable easy access for villagers to have diualogue with them.