Human-Crocodilian Conflict

Depleted wild crocodilian populations are usually managed primarily on the basis of conservation alone - that is, to rebuild them. The public is usually very supportive of such efforts to “help” endangered crocodilians populations to recover. However, most crocodilians are potential predators on humans and/or livestock, and the successful recovery of wild populations often reinstates human-crocodilian conflicts (HCC), leading to negative public attitudes about those same crocodilian populations.

For the CSG, successful conservation and management programs have resulted in recovering crocodilian populations in many countries around the world. The challenge in many of these cases now is how to maintain those populations in the face of increasing HCC. In recognition of the importance of dealing with HCC in ongoing management of crocodilians, in 2002 the CSG established a Human-Crocodile Conflict Working Group, headed by Dr. Richard Fergusson (CSG Regional Chairman for Africa).

HCC could be considered to include “any interaction which results in negative effects on human social, economic or cultural life, on conservation of the species or on the environment”. However, HCC more commonly refers to interactions between crocodiles and humans where they or their livestock are threatened, injured or killed, or livelihoods are affected (eg damage to fishing gear, loss of catches).

At the 17th and 18th CSG working meetings (Darwin 2004, Montelimar 2006), the HCC Working Group outlined proposed outcomes, including:

	Consolidated guidelines on the prevention and management of HCC approved by CSG that may be provided to Government wildlife authorities that have the problem but no solution.
	A database of all attacks by crocodilians on humans and livestock. It is recognised that this may be difficult to achieve in a globally compatible format, but within regions should be achievable. The two aims of the database are to formalise the capture and reporting of information on HCC incidents, and to use this compilation to indicate how countermeasures may be applied.
	A “fact sheet” combining information from the above two aims. This could be provided to print and broadcast media pre-emptively and when HCC incidents occur, with the aim of minimising the hype that frequently accompanies such incidents, at least in the more developed countries.

It is recognised that more information and research are needed on crocodile populations, the incidence of HCC, factors increasing the risk of HCC, and countermeasures that can be employed, including harvesting to reduce crocodilian populations. However, harvesting alone is unlikely to provide a solution to HCC.

Suggested reading

Fergusson, R. (2008). Keynote Paper on Human-Wildlife Conflicts for 16th meeting of FAO African Forest & Wildlife Commission.