Perceptions and patterns of human-elephant conflict in old and new settlements in Sri Lanka: insights for mitigation and management
Perceptions and patterns of human-elephant conflict in old and new settlements in Sri Lanka: insights for mitigation and management
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DOI：
10.1007/s10531-004-0216-z
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发表时间：
2005-09-01
影响因子：
3.4
通讯作者：
Janaka, HK
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Fernando, P;Wikramanayake, E;Janaka, HK
人象冲突对包括斯里兰卡在内的亚洲许多地区的大象构成了重大威胁。我们研究了卡哈勒和雅拉这两个地区的人象冲突，并对比了土地利用和冲突的情况。卡哈勒是在马哈威利灌溉项目下开发和定居的，主要农业实践是灌溉农业，每年有两个生长季节。该地区由定居点、农业和小片森林组成，人类和大象的使用区域界限不明确。大象全年都在栖息地马赛克内活动，占据残余的森林斑块，并在夜间袭击邻近的农作物。相比之下，雅拉以大型保护区为主，主要农业方式为刀耕火种农业和雨养水稻种植。人类和大象的使用区域被明确界定和隔离。该保护区在雨季种植一年生作物时为大象提供了庇护所和食物。在旱季，大象迁入刀耕火种地区，利用剩余作物和休耕地的先锋植被。雅拉的土地利用模式和农业实践促进了共存，而卡哈勒的土地利用模式和农业实践则导致了全年的冲突。我们建议，按照传统土地利用方式管理的地区应成为大象保护战略的一部分，人们和大象必须共享资源。
Human - elephant conflict poses a major threat to elephants in many parts of Asia, including Sri Lanka. We studied human - elephant conflict in two areas with contrasting scenarios of landuse and conflict, Kahalle and Yala. Kahalle was developed and settled under the Mahaweli irrigation project and the main agricultural practice was irrigated agriculture, with two annual growing seasons. The area was a mosaic of settlements, agriculture, and small forest patches with ill defined human- and elephant- use areas. Elephants ranged within the habitat mosaic year round, occupying remnant forest patches and raiding adjacent crops at night. In contrast, Yala was dominated by a large protected area complex, and the main agricultural methods were slash- and-burn agriculture and rain- fed paddy cultivation. Human- and elephant- use areas were well defined and segregated. The protected area provided elephants with a refuge and food during the rainy season, when the single annual crop was grown. During the dry season, elephants moved into slash-and-burn areas and utilized leftover crops and pioneer vegetation in fallow fields. The landuse pattern and agricultural practices in Yala facilitated co- existence, whereas that in Kahalle led to year round conflict. We suggest that areas managed according to traditional landuse practices should be part of an elephant conservation strategy, where people and elephants have to share resources.