In Vietnam, farmers show a willingness to work with the elephant in the room
Solving human-wildlife conflict is a complex issue and a pressing concern for a wide variety of endangered species, none more so than the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus). People living around Vietnam’s Dong Nai Biosphere Reserve, however, want to foster coexistence with elephants, not conflict. That’s according to a new study published in the journal Global Ecology and Conservation that looks to understand community perspectives on how to solve human-elephant conflict.
Researchers carried out choice-based questionnaires with residents of four villages — Phu Ly, Ma Da, Thanh Son and Ta Lai — where human-elephant conflict is known to occur. In total, 440 households were surveyed and offered different approaches to solving the problem.
Sean Mowbray
