Depleted wild crocodilian populations are usually
managed primarily on the basis of conservation alone - that is, to rebuild them.
The public is usually very supportive of such efforts to “help” endangered
crocodilians populations to recover. However, most crocodilians are potential
predators on humans and/or livestock, and the successful recovery of wild
populations often reinstates human-crocodilian conflicts (HCC), leading to
negative public attitudes about those same crocodilian populations.
For the CSG, successful conservation and management programs have resulted in
recovering crocodilian populations in many countries around the world. The
challenge in many of these cases now is how to maintain those populations in the
face of increasing HCC. In recognition of the importance of dealing with HCC in
ongoing management of crocodilians, in 2002 the CSG established a
Human-Crocodile Conflict Working Group, headed by Dr. Richard Fergusson (CSG
Regional Chairman for Africa).
HCC could be considered to include “any interaction which results in negative
effects on human social, economic or cultural life, on conservation of the
species or on the environment”. However, HCC more commonly refers to
interactions between crocodiles and humans where they or their livestock are
threatened, injured or killed, or livelihoods are affected (eg damage to fishing
gear, loss of catches).
At the 17th and 18th CSG working meetings (Darwin 2004, Montelimar 2006), the
HCC Working Group outlined proposed outcomes, including:
Consolidated guidelines on the prevention and management of HCC approved by
CSG that may be provided to Government wildlife authorities that have the
problem but no solution.
A database of all attacks by crocodilians on humans and livestock. It is
recognised that this may be difficult to achieve in a globally compatible
format, but within regions should be achievable. The two aims of the database
are to formalise the capture and reporting of information on HCC incidents, and
to use this compilation to indicate how countermeasures may be applied.
A “fact sheet” combining information from the above two aims. This could be
provided to print and broadcast media pre-emptively and when HCC incidents
occur, with the aim of minimising the hype that frequently accompanies such
incidents, at least in the more developed countries.
It is recognised that more information and research are needed on crocodile
populations, the incidence of HCC, factors increasing the risk of HCC, and
countermeasures that can be employed, including harvesting to reduce crocodilian
populations. However, harvesting alone is unlikely to provide a solution to HCC.
Suggested reading
Fergusson, R. (2008). Keynote Paper on Human-Wildlife Conflicts for 16th meeting
of FAO African Forest & Wildlife Commission.
