Quantifying and characterising poison use in the communal farmlands of Namibia

Research summary

Farmers using poison to control livestock predators is a major threat to vulture populations in Namibia and across Africa. In order to develop effective conservation strategies, it is important to understand the socio-ecological drivers that trigger poison use by farmers. While we know what these drivers are on the commercial farms of Namibia, the situation in the communal farmlands is not well understood. We aim to interview communal farmers in order to understand how frequently, why, which and how poisons are used. We will also assess the perception of communal farmers towards vultures and their conservation.

Description

Research info

Research title
Quantifying and characterising poison use in the communal farmlands of Namibia

Research timeline
1.9.2016 - 1.9.2017

Keywords
Communal farmland illegal behaviour land management decisions livestock farming poison use scavenger conservation wildlife crime

Region
Africa

Countries
Finland, Namibia

Institution
Finnish Museum of Natural History
Department of Biosciences
Helsinki, Finland

Funding instrument
Other

Head of research
Dr. Andrea Santangeli

Research team
Christie Craig, Robert Thomson, Holger Kolberg

Partners
Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology University of Cape Town, Vultures Namibia

Contact information
Andrea Santangeli
+358 50 448 4466
andrea.santangeli@helsinki.fi

Record last updated
18.10.2016