title: Efficacy of two lion conservation programs in Maasailand, Kenya.
abstract: Lion (Panthera leo) populations are in decline throughout most of Africa. The problem is particularly acute in southern Kenya, where Maasai pastoralists have been spearing and poisoning lions at a rate that will ensure near term local extinction. We investigated 2 approaches for improving local tolerance of lions: compensation payments for livestock lost to predators and Lion Guardians, which draws on local cultural values and knowledge to mitigate livestock-carnivore conflict and monitor carnivores. To gauge the overall influence of conservation intervention, we combined both programs into a single conservation treatment variable. Using 8 years of lion killing data, we applied Manski's partial identification approach with bounded assumptions to investigate the effect of conservation treatment on lion killing in 4 contiguous areas. In 3 of the areas, conservation treatment was positively associated with a reduction in lion killing. We then applied a generalized linear model to assess the relative efficacy of the 2 interventions. The model estimated that compensation resulted in an 87-91% drop in the number of lions killed, whereas Lion Guardians (operating in combination with compensation and alone) resulted in a 99% drop in lion killing.
authors: Nelson Institute of Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 550 North Park Street, Madison, WI 53706-1404, U.S.A., Living with Lions, P.O. Box 555, Nanyuki 10400, Kenya. Lhazzah@gmail.com.
authors: Leela
authors: L
authors: Hazzah
authors: Stephanie
authors: S
authors: Dolrenry
authors: Lisa
authors: L
authors: Naughton-Treves
authors: Lisa
authors: L
authors: Naughton
authors: Charles T T
authors: CT
authors: Edwards
authors: Ogeto
authors: O
authors: Mwebi
authors: Fiachra
authors: F
authors: Kearney
authors: Laurence
authors: L
authors: Frank
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D003469:Culture; D007630:Kenya; D016014:Linear Models; D008045:Lions
keywords: carnivore; community involvement; community-based conservation; compensación; compensation; conocimiento local; conservación basada en la comunidad; conservación de carnívoros; conservation; conservation evaluation; evaluación de la conservación; incentives; incentivos; local knowledge; participación de la comunidad; tolerance; tolerancia