Project for

Carnivores and Communities

Introduction

Carnivores are classed under the order Carnivora, and there are about 226 species in this category. The Kucinski Wildlife Foundation aims to promote the conservation of carnivores in general, although they have a strong interest in large carnivore conservation. We understand that carnivores play a significant role in the ecological function of ecosystems and as a result we believe that their survival is of utmost importance. Carnivores have an intense impact on biological communities through the processes of predation and inter-specific competition. Prey numbers are regulated through the presence of carnivore predation, creating a finely tuned predatory-prey relationship that is vital to ecosystem function. The continued survival of healthy carnivore populations is therefore vital to conservation of biodiversity.

As carnivore species require large home ranges and territory sizes, they are often classed as ‘Umbrella’ species. Umbrella species are species with large area requirements, which if given a large enough protected area, will bring many other species under protection. This emphasise the necessity to preserve carnivores.

We at the KWF, are increasingly concerned at the dwindling numbers of the world’s majestic predators, from the snow leopard and Amur leopard, to the critically endangered African wild dog. It is now estimated that as few as 2,500 individuals of snow leopard now exist in the wild and as little as 3,000 African wild dogs. Carnivores are threatened due to the continued loss of suitable habitat as a result of pastoralism, urbanisation and agriculture. As humans rely on similar sources of food to carnivores for subsistence, populations of prey are dwindling, and humans and these predators are becoming more and more in contact. This competition for food and space has resulted in a lack of tolerance for these animals, often resulting in some communities poisoning or shooting them. This competition and lack of tolerance can also be seen in the UK concerning badgers and foxes. Furthermore, there is a deeply ingrained fear of carnivores in today’s culture that exemplifies the problem.

The KWF team, however, do understand the needs of people, and as a result aim to adopt community-based approaches to carnivore conservation. The Kucinski Wildlife Foundation therefore hopes to find ways of alleviating conflict between communites and carnivores. Through research and community-based approaches we hope to suggest and encourage the implementation of effective strategies for alleviating conflict.