Repository logo
 
Publication

The decline of ungulate populations in Iranian protected areas calls for urgent action against poaching

2019-01Journal article Restricted access
Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorGhoddousi, Arash
dc.contributor.authorSoofi, Mahmood
dc.contributor.authorHamidi, Amirhossein Kh.
dc.contributor.authorAshayeri, Sheyda
dc.contributor.authorEgli, Lukas
dc.contributor.authorGhoddousi, Siavash
dc.contributor.authorSpeicher, Julian
dc.contributor.authorKhorozyan, Igor
dc.contributor.authorKiabi, Bahram H.
dc.contributor.authorWaltert, Matthias
dc.date.accessioned2020-07-24T10:53:30Z
dc.date.available2020-07-24T10:53:30Z
dc.date.issued2019-01
dc.description.abstractPoaching is cryptically but rapidly driving many species towards extinction. Knowledge of population trends of exploited species and incentives for poaching is necessary to inform appropriate conservation measures. We estimated the abundance of four ungulate species in Golestan National Park, Iran, the country's oldest protected area, where poaching of ungulates is widespread. We used line transect surveys (186 km), camera trapping (2,777 camera-nights), point counts (64 scans) and dung counts (along 38 km), and compared population estimates with those from earlier records. We also investigated the incentives for poaching, using a semi-structured interview survey. Population estimates for 2011-2014 indicated a 66-89% decline in three ungulate species (bezoar goat Capra aegagrus, red deer Cervus elaphus and urial Ovis vignei) compared to 1970-1978. Only wild boar Sus scrofa showed a population increase (of 58%) during the same period, possibly facilitated by religious restrictions regarding the consumption of this species. The incentives for poaching were categorized (in a non-ordinal manner) as subsistence, pleasure, tradition, trade of wild meat, and conflict with conservation regulations and bodies. The decline in hunted ungulates in this Park appears to be the result of rampant poaching, and a similar trend is evident in other protected areas in the country. We suggest the adoption of participatory conservation strategies, improvement of law enforcement practices and cooperation with international experts to reduce poaching in these protected areas. Taking into account the incentives for poaching, a combination of economic and non-economic strategies should be considered.
dc.description.sponsorshipIranian Department of Environment
dc.description.sponsorshipGolestan provincial office of the Department of Environment
dc.description.sponsorshipGolestan National Park
dc.description.sponsorshipGerman Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst (DAAD)
dc.description.sponsorshipPanthera's Kaplan Graduate Award
dc.description.sponsorshipErasmus Mundus/SALAM
dc.identifier.doi10.1017/S003060531600154X
dc.identifier.issn0030-6053
dc.identifier.issn1365-3008
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10400.1/14500
dc.language.isoeng
dc.peerreviewedyes
dc.publisherCambridge Univ Press
dc.subjectLuangwa-valley
dc.subjectEnforcement
dc.subjectPressure
dc.subjectWildlife
dc.titleThe decline of ungulate populations in Iranian protected areas calls for urgent action against poaching
dc.typejournal article
dspace.entity.typePublication
oaire.citation.endPage158
oaire.citation.issue1
oaire.citation.startPage151
oaire.citation.titleORYX
oaire.citation.volume53
rcaap.rightsrestrictedAccess
rcaap.typearticle

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
14500.pdf
Size:
240.18 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Download

Collections

FEC2-Artigos (em revistas ou actas indexadas)