Mar 07, 2023
New Paper Published - The Unequal Burden of Human-Wildlife Conflict
In a new publication in the journal Communications Biology, researchers with the participation of the TUD examine the income losses of cattle breeders due to predator attacks on herds.
Since the return of the wolf to Saxony and other areas of Germany, the conflict between humans and animals has also been a topic of dicussion here. Protection of species and wildlife damage must be balanced. The study produces calculations for income losses due to predators for all regions of the world and alle relevant species. It shows that the poorest people in developing countries bear by far the heaviest burden: income losses are about eight times higher than in industrialized countries.
The study is a collaborative project involving nine researchers from all over the world. Prof. Leßmann, holder of the Chair of Economics, especially International Economics, worked on the project together with colleagues from Australia and North America, among others.
Research findings show that the world's most threatened predators share significant range overlap with the most economically vulnerable communities. This underscores the need for conversation strategies that consider wildlife protection and poverty reduction.
The results obtained have imporant implications for wildlife conservation and development policies that address human-wildlife conflict. The economic vulnerabilities of poor communities must be taken into account in order to develop effective policies to promote human-wildlife coexistence.
© Klaus Gigga
Professor
NameMr Prof. Dr. Christian Leßmann
HÜL 202
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