Addressing the Human Dimension in Human-Raptor Interactions

GRANDE, J. M.; ZULUAGA, SANTIAGO; COULSON, JENIFFER O.

Fort Collins

Congreso; Raptor Research Foundation Annual Conference 2019; 2019

Are raptor researchers prepared to handle the onslaught of human-related conservation problems facing raptors in the 21st century? The Raptor Research Foundation supports scientifically its position championing the need for an integrated, cross-disciplinary, socio-ecological approach to resolving today?s human-related raptor conservation problems. Where human activities or infrastructures are involved, it is not enough to study the raptors themselves, as this defines only one dimension of the conservation problem. When human conflicts over raptor conservation arise, raptor researchers must also consider human dimensions. The human dimension warrants consideration in virtually every conservation problem, from raptor persecutions, to reintroductions, to providing land management recommendations that benefit raptors. Conflicts over raptor conservation usually involve competing interests over land uses or resources, humans using raptors as natural resources, or human health and safety. The human dimension impacts the conservation of a diverse array of raptors ranging from New and Old World scavenging vultures and condors to hawks and eagles to owls and falcons. Resolving these conflicts involves changing human behaviors towards wildlife. Changing human behaviors is often a multi-step process that includes studying wildlife ecology and behavior, economics, human perceptions, and cultural contexts, engaging stakeholders in identifying solutions, and assessing the effectiveness of implemented conservation strategies. Moving forward, raptor conservationists might consider the following approaches: collaborating with sociologists and economists, receiving training specific to wildlife conflict management, developing a centralized database for anthropogenic-based raptor conservation projects, and developing theoretical models of human-raptor conflicts. Conflictive situations involving raptors and humans present an increasing global threat to raptor populations. The Raptor Research Foundation maintains that including the human dimension in conflict resolutions will improve tolerance towards raptors and facilitate the coexistence of raptor and human populations.