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Patterns of co-existence between humans and mammals in Yemen: some species thrive while others are nearly extinct

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Abstract

This paper describes the results of a camera-trapping study in Hawf, eastern Yemen, of the relationships between human presence and the richness, diversity and distribution of wild medium-sized and large mammals. The study comprised 3,351 trap-nights over 225.3 km2 during which 963 captures of 14 mammalian species and 985 captures of humans were obtained. Human presence was positively linked with species richness and diversity, but only when the number of human captures was ≤100 captures/site. At higher numbers of human captures, the positive trend reversed and only three species (wolf, fox and porcupine) succeeded in dominating their communities. Human presence was also strongly and positively associated with colonization and occupancy of some species, but decreased their detection probabilities. Contrary to expectations, human presence did not affect activity patterns of species. Co-existence between human presence and mammals caused by resource sharing, viz. establishment and use of same trails and water sources, attraction to livestock, garbage and food leftovers, is discussed. In contrast, the leopard, wild cat, Nubian ibex and mountain gazelle are severely depleted. Co-existence between humans and mammals has significant implications for proper management and wildlife conservation in unprotected human-dominated landscapes, protected areas and buffer zones of developing countries such as Yemen.

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Acknowledgments

The research in Hawf was funded by the Mohammed Bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund (grants No. 10251267 and 11252088) and the Abu Dhabi Chapter of the Emirates Natural History Group. The first author’s work at Georg-August University of Göttingen has been supported by Erasmus Mundus/ALRAKIS postdoctoral scholarship and Alexander von Humboldt Special Research Fellowship. We greatly appreciate kind support provided by His Excellency Governor A.M. Khodam, His Excellency A.F. Al-Eryani (Minister of Water and Environment), I. Kaswat (Environmental Protection Authority), M. Al-Duais (Ibb University), B. Asha and local people including S. Bakrait, Sa’ad and Saeed A.S. Balhaf, S.A. Mohaysan and S. bin Yasser. Contributions from the volunteer work of C. Qirreh, M. Jennings, B. Settles, K. Dixon, N. Dunais, S. Kennerknecht and D. Owen were immense and we sincerely thank them all. We are also grateful to M. Waltert and A. Ghoddousi (Georg-August University of Göttingen, Germany) for valuable comments on the earlier draft of the paper, as well as to A. Spalton (Diwan Royal Court, Oman), B. Lanzinger, M. Pearch and D.L. Harrison (Harrison Institute, UK) for information support. Constructive advices and interesting ideas of two anonymous reviewers have allowed to significantly improve the quality of the paper. Finally, we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the people of Hawf.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Workgroup on Endangered Species, J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, Georg-August University of Göttingen, Bürgerstrasse 50, 37073, Göttingen, Germany

    Igor Khorozyan

  2. Sana’a International School and adviser to Foundation for Endangered Wildlife, P.O. Box 7069, Sanaa, Yemen

    David Stanton

  3. Foundation for Endangered Wildlife, P.O. Box 7069, Sanaa, Yemen

    Murad Mohammed & Waleed Al-Ra’il

  4. Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, University of Kent, Kent, UK

    Malini Pittet

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  1. Igor Khorozyan
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  2. David Stanton
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  3. Murad Mohammed
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  4. Waleed Al-Ra’il
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  5. Malini Pittet
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Correspondence to Igor Khorozyan.

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Communicated by David Hawksworth.

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Khorozyan, I., Stanton, D., Mohammed, M. et al. Patterns of co-existence between humans and mammals in Yemen: some species thrive while others are nearly extinct. Biodivers Conserv 23, 1995–2013 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-014-0700-z

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