Consequences of different forms of conservation for large mammals in Tanzania: preliminary analyses |
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| Authors: | T M Caro N Pelkey M Borner K L I Campbell B L Woodworth B P Farm J Ole Kuwai S A Huish & E L M Severre |
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| Institution: | Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, U.S.A. and Serengeti Wildlife Research Institute, PO Box 661, Arusha, Tanzania, Graduate Group in Ecology, University of California, Davis;, Frankfurt Zoological Society, c/o Tanzania National Parks, PO Box 3134, Arusha, Tanzania;, Natural Resources Institute, Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime, Kent ME4 4TB, U.K.;, Tanzania Wildlife Conservation Monitoring, Conservation Information Centre, PO Box 14935, Arusha, Tanzania;, Department of Wildlife, PO Box 63150, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; |
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| Abstract: | We examined the effects of protection from human activities and effects of tourist hunting on densities of 21 large mammal species in Tanzania. Aerial censuses revealed that mammal biomass per km2 was highest in National Parks. Densities of nine ungulate species were significantly higher in National Parks and Game Reserves than in areas that permitted settlement; these tended to be the larger species favoured by poachers. The presence of tourist hunters had little positive or negative impact on ungulate densities, even for sought-after trophy species; limited ground censuses confirmed these results. Our analyses suggest that prohibition of human activity, backed up by on-site enforcement, maintains ungulate populations at relatively high densities, and challenge the idea that enforcement is only effective when spending is high. |
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| Keywords: | conservation area mammal densities protection Tanzania tourist hunting |
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