Assessing human–carnivore conflict and the identification of hotspot areas to prioritize mitigation efforts

Abstract

ABSTRACT Human‒carnivore conflict (HCC) is a worldwide conservation challenge. A multi-method approach was used to assess the perceived threats posed to human life or property by carnivores and determine the effects of socio-demographic and environmental factors on HCC in south-western Iran. Results showed that red foxes, gray wolves and honey badgers were the main species responsible for the conflict. People with higher education were less likely to kill carnivores or report negative attitudes toward them. Human alterations of natural habitats are responsible for the majority of HCC, with an anthropogenic factor (distance to cropland) as the top predictor. Villages with the highest probability of conflict were located in proximity to national parks. The presence of landfill sites in proximity of human settlements and improper waste disposal methods may increase HCC. Focusing mitigation measures on high-risk areas can potentially reduce conflicts and lead to a decrease in retaliatory killings of predators.