Joseph Tuyishimire
University of Rwanda, Rwanda
Title: Stopping poaching activities in Nyungwe Forest National Park (NNP): Biodiversity conservation and human-wildlife conflicts
Biography
Biography: Joseph Tuyishimire
Abstract
Even if integrated conservation activities are claimed to be the goals achieved by NNP managers, illegal activities such as animal poaching are still going on inside the park. Through interviews with ex-poachers and intensive field work inside the park to identify poaching signs, this study assessed the effectiveness of conservation measures to the reduction of animal poaching activities and the improvement of the livelihood of neighbouring communities. Ex-poachers were characterized by a high rate of illiteracy and large families. The main causes of poaching consisted of poverty and ignorance about the importance of the park. Other causes consisted of bad habits, resistance to change, and search for meat. Methods of poaching consisted of snares and traditional weapons. The most targeted animals were large mammals consisting mainly of duiker (Cephalophus sylvicultor) and wild boar which were poached for both sale and subsistence purposes and small mammals (mainly Porcupine and giant rat) which were poached for subsistence purpose. After poaching was prohibited, none of the respondents is still relying on poaching as a source of income, but agriculture became the major activity. Most of income generating activities are carried out in cooperatives and the fact that a large proportion of people did not join them yet is at the same time the result of ignorance and the cause of poverty. The current study encourages awareness raising and the increased support cooperatives; while education of children at school age will help to block the transmission of poaching techniques from parents to children.