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- Title
Anthropogenic Threats to Crocodiles, and the Level and Sociodemographic Determinants of their Utilization in Lower River Tana Basin, Kenya.
- Authors
Mosse, Margaret N.; Odadi, Wilfred O.; Kibue, Grace W.
- Abstract
Background and Research Aims: Globally, crocodile ranching programs are intended to generate livelihood benefits for local communities and incentives for crocodile conservation. However, there is need for their contextual scientific evaluation in many human-dominated tropical landscapes. We investigated the anthropogenic threats to crocodiles, and examined the level and sociodemographic determinants of their utilization in lower River Tana basin, Kenya. Methods: We conducted seven key informant interviews, four focus group discussions and a quantitative household survey involving 365 respondents randomly selected from local villages. We analyzed anthropogenic threats to crocodiles and other qualitative data thematically. We summarized quantitative data using descriptive statistics and used multinomial logistic regression to analyze the association between selected sociodemographic variables and crocodile utilization. Results: The main anthropogenic threats to crocodiles were agricultural expansion into their habitat, their retaliatory killing, and consumption of their meat and eggs. Only 5% of the respondents utilized crocodiles legally, whereas 32% utilized them illegally. Increasing age, increasing income, being male and being Christian all increased the likelihood of illegal crocodile utilization. Being male increased the likelihood of legal crocodile utilization, whereas increasing age decreased this likelihood. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates multiple anthropogenic threats to crocodiles in lower River Tana despite a long-term ranching program. Furthermore, local community participation in this program is marginal and markedly varies among sociodemographic groups. Taken together, our findings suggest that crocodile ranching, as practiced in this landscape, is largely ineffective in achieving its intended socioeconomic and conservation goals. Conservation Implications: To enhance their effectiveness, crocodile ranching programs in such landscapes should be tailored for local socio-cultural contexts. We recommend capacity building and awareness raising initiatives tailored for specific groups to increase local community participation in sustainable crocodile utilization and minimize their engagement in practices that are detrimental to crocodiles.
- Subjects
KENYA; CROCODILES; WATERSHEDS; COMMUNITY-based programs; COMMUNITY involvement; CONSCIOUSNESS raising
- Publication
Tropical Conservation Science, 2024, p1
- ISSN
1940-0829
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1177/19400829241241457