Abstract
Feeding of wild Asian elephants at the Udawalawe National Park perimeter electric fence by the general public is longstanding. We monitored the elephants and feeding activities, and conducted questionnaire surveys of stakeholders. Over 50 individual adult male elephants engaged in the activity. The exclusive male presence was consistent with a high-risk high-gain male strategy. The elephants were mostly offered fruits and vegetables. Over a thousand people a day watched and fed the elephants. Most people bought food for elephants from roadside stalls and vendors had significantly more sales if elephants were present. The feeding of elephants brought significant economic benefit to communities bordering the park. We found the impacts of feeding on the elephants and environment to be largely neutral. Impacts on people and conservation were mainly positive. Actions taken by authorities to stop the feeding have targeted the elephants and resulted in the decrease of feeding but not its elimination. Managing the activity instead would help increase economic benefits and ensure safe interaction between people and elephants. Such management, by directly benefitting local communities, could make them partners in the conservation process and form the basis of an effective outreach program.
Highlights
Human-wildlife interactions encompass an array of occurrences that may positively or negatively impact one or both actors
From 26 April to 1 May 2012, we conducted a questionnaire survey of residents along the Udawalawe-Thanamalwila road. We asked if they sold vegetables or fruits, and if elephants were beneficial to them or their area
From 2 to 5 May 2012, we interviewed one person per party stopping for the elephants
Summary
Human-wildlife interactions encompass an array of occurrences that may positively or negatively impact one or both actors. Hunting benefits people by providing food, revenue and recreation. It is clearly detrimental to hunted individuals and many species have been hunted to extinction (Loveridge et al 2009). Illegal hunting or poaching is universally accepted as detrimental to wildlife. Regulated hunting may benefit species, eco-systems and conservation through creating interest in the hunted species and providing revenue that can be used for conservation (Loveridge et al 2009; Treves 2009). The revenue it generates positively effects protected area management, conservation
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