Anthropogenic and Environmental factors driving the Human-Elephant Conflict in Myanmar

Abstract

Anthropogenic activities are responsible for accelerating the depletion and deterioration of natural habitats for elephants. Habitat loss and fragmentation cause intense Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) in multiple-use landscapes. HEC threatens and deteriorates the livelihood of local people as well as the survival of elephants in the wild. Understanding the driving factors behind HEC and elephant habitat selection will help mitigation of conflicts and contribute to the well-being of both humans and elephants. This thesis seeks to understand the extent and importance of factors affecting HEC in the study area in Myanmar, how HEC incidents affect local attitudes towards wild Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) and their conservation, which environmental and anthropogenic factors influence the spatial distribution of wild elephants and how habitat suitability and selection of elephants interlink with HEC and local attitudes. Finally, the thesis aims to explore how human mortality by elephants and elephant-killed by humans relate in the conflict areas.

Human encroachment into forests causes increased rates of encounters with elephants. The areas having higher rates of deforestation were more likely to incur crop damage. Larger cultivation lands were more likely to incur crop raiding. Crop-raiding peaked in the harvesting season. More than one-third of the respondents admitted that their infrastructures and buildings were attacked by elephants. Results reveal that experience of HEC influences most local attitudes. Approximately 64% of people agreed to elephant cohabitation in the same landscape. However, those who experienced HEC showed more fear while those who never experienced HEC exhibited favourable feelings (love and favour) towards elephants. The people with HEC experience were, therefore, less likely to agree to live with elephants in their vicinity. Approximately 62% of suitable habitats were found inside the forest reserves indicating that sustainable forest management is important for elephant conservation. Elephants used degraded forests more than availability, indicating a potential for confrontations with humans. Elephant’s aggressive behaviour tended to be higher in less suitable habitats where elephant attacks on human property and their lives were higher. Elephant attacks were more likely during the dry season and inside the forests, indicating that it coincides with the higher human activities inside forests. Elephants were more likely to be killed in the forest and in easily accessible areas. Results indicate some retaliatory killings of elephants in the study area. However, elephant poaching was less likely to occur around the HEC villages having higher habitat suitability for elephants.