Integrating local perspectives into conservation could facilitate human-crocodile coexistence in the Ayeyarwady Delta, Myanmar

Abstract

Conservation will always fail when it does not address the drivers of biodiversity loss, which in many cases involves understanding human behaviours and the attitudes that underlie them. The saltwater crocodile Crocodylus porosus is a keystone species in mangrove wetlands but also a dangerous predator that affects people's safety and livelihoods. Although saltwater crocodiles are protected under the Myanmar Biodiversity and Protected Area Law, the government has not integrated local people's attitudes into conservation and management. As a consequence, saltwater crocodiles, although categorized as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, are restricted to a single protected area, Meinmahlakyun Wildlife Sanctuary, in Myanmar. To examine local attitudes towards the species, we investigated local knowledge about the environment, crocodiles, habitats and threats, awareness of human-crocodile conflict, and perceptions of the benefits and impacts of saltwater crocodile conservation through questionnaires in 244 households in 17 villages. We found that people were highly knowledgeable about the local environment, saltwater crocodiles, and their habitats. People with seasonal livelihoods that rely on natural resources from Meinmahlakyun had negative attitudes towards crocodile conservation. People were likely to have negative attitudes if they perceived there were no benefits from conserving the species. Law enforcement through restricting resource access does not enhance conservation success and builds resentment towards the conservation of the species. Local people suggested that, as a basis for management, understanding risks posed by crocodiles was the best approach to facilitate human-crocodile coexistence in the Ayeyarwady delta region.