Module 2: Wildlife Abundance and Habitat

Abstract

The shared use of natural resources by humans and wildlife is the basis of long-lasting conflicts whose reconciliation is an urgent need. To fully understand the degree of damage and the conflict intensity, detailed knowledge is required on the distribution and abundance of animals and thus their visiting rate and contact with vulnerable resources, which in turn vary spatially depending on habitat characteristics and regional resolution instruments. The purpose of this module is to assess how landscape factors and resource management factors influence wildlife abundance and the exposure and vulnerability of the resource to wildlife. Abundance estimates and species-habitat associations are the two key factors in this context. Three approaches are presented (minimum, standard and advanced), varying in time and funding needs, and these range from literature-based educated guesses to powerful predictors using field-survey datasets, as described. We suggest as a first step the standard approach and only if evidences support a strong influence of landscape factors select an advanced approach in a later step of the reconciliation process.