Are ranger patrols effective in reducing poaching-related threats within protected areas?
Are ranger patrols effective in reducing poaching-related threats within protected areas?
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DOI：
10.1111/1365-2664.12965
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发表时间：
2018-01-01
影响因子：
5.7
通讯作者：
Oli, Madan K.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Moore, Jennifer F.;Mulindahabi, Felix;Oli, Madan K.
1. 偷猎是全球野生动物保护面临的最大威胁之一。然而，保护区内偷猎活动的时空格局，以及护林员巡逻和护林员哨所在减轻这些威胁方面的有效性，都是相对未知的。我们利用10年（2006-2015）基于护林员的监测数据和动态多季节占用模型，量化了与偷猎相关的威胁，研究了影响这些威胁时空动态的因素，并测试了管理行动在卢旺达纽恩威国家公园（NNP）打击偷猎的效率。低海拔（1,801 ~ 2,200 m）地区发生偷猎相关威胁的概率最高，特别是靠近公路和旅游路线的地区；相反，高海拔地点（2,6013,000 m）、公园边界和护林员哨所附近的发生概率最低。护林员巡逻的次数大大增加了与偷猎有关的威胁在一个地点消失的可能性，如果威胁最初存在（即威胁灭绝的可能性）。如果没有护林员的巡视，偷猎相关威胁物种灭绝的年概率估计为7%；如果护林员每年访问20次和50次，这一概率将分别增加到20%和57%。我们的研究结果表明，通过在目前不存在的地区增加护林员哨所，以及在偷猎活动可能性高的地区增加巡逻次数，可以有效地减少与偷猎有关的威胁。合成与应用。我们应用动态占用模型来预测偷猎相关威胁存在的概率是新颖的，并且明确考虑了非法活动检测的不完善。基于建模关系，我们确定了最容易受到偷猎的区域，并提供了关于如何优化部署护林员巡逻以减少偷猎相关威胁和其他非法活动的见解，同时考虑到潜在的抽样偏差。我们的研究表明，通过增加护林员在偷猎活动高风险地区的巡逻，以及在这些地点附近增加护林员巡逻，可以有效地减少偷猎活动。这些发现广泛适用于遭遇严重偷猎和其他非法活动的国家公园和保护区。
1. Poaching is one of the greatest threats to wildlife conservation world-wide. However, the spatial and temporal patterns of poaching activities within protected areas, and the effectiveness of ranger patrols and ranger posts in mitigating these threats, are relatively unknown.2. We used 10 years (2006-2015) of ranger-based monitoring data and dynamic multi-season occupancy models to quantify poaching-related threats, to examine factors influencing the spatio-temporal dynamics of these threats and to test the efficiency of management actions to combat poaching in Nyungwe National Park (NNP), Rwanda.3. The probability of occurrence of poaching-related threats was highest at lower elevations (1,801-2,200 m), especially in areas that were close to roads and tourist trails; conversely, occurrence probability was lowest at high elevation sites (2,6013,000 m), and near the park boundary and ranger posts. The number of ranger patrols substantially increased the probability that poaching-related threats disappear at a site if threats were originally present (i.e. probability of extinction of threats). Without ranger visits, the annual probability of extinction of poaching-related threats was an estimated 7%; this probability would increase to 20% and 57% with 20 and 50 ranger visits per year, respectively.4. Our results suggest that poaching-related threats can be effectively reduced in NNP by adding ranger posts in areas where they do not currently exist, and by increasing the number of patrols to sites where the probability of poaching activities is high.5. Synthesis and applications. Our application of dynamic occupancy models to predict the probability of presence of poaching-related threats is novel, and explicitly considers imperfect detection of illegal activities. Based on the modelled relationships, we identify areas that are most vulnerable to poaching, and offer insights regarding how ranger patrols can be optimally deployed to reduce poaching-related threats and other illegal activites, while taking into account potential sampling biases. We show that poaching can be effectively reduced by increasing ranger patrols to areas under high risk of poaching activities, and by adding ranger patrols near these sites. These findings are broadly applicable to national parks and protected areas experiencing a high degree of poaching and other illegal activities.