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Managing Human-Sun Bear Conflict in Sumatran Agroforest Systems

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Abstract

Human-wildlife conflict negatively affects farmers’ livelihoods and wildlife species that may already be threatened. In Sumatra, the sun bear Helarctos malayanus is a little-known and potentially significant conflict species. To understand the characteristics of human-sun bear conflict and local perceptions and tolerance towards the species, semi-structured interviews were conducted among 120 farmers from four study areas in west-central Sumatra. Spatio-temporal conflict patterns were then investigated in 30 farms from one selected study area. Overall, 45.8 % of respondents reported having experienced human-sun bear conflicts since occupying their farm and crop raiding characterised the majority of these conflicts. Farmers who experienced property damage and livestock depredation by sun bears were less tolerant towards the species and favoured conflict management strategies that removed sun bears from their area. Conflict events were positively correlated with rainfall and peaked when important cash crops reached maturity. With the current rate of agricultural expansion in west-central Sumatra human-sun bear conflicts are likely to increase. This study suggests that mitigation strategies should be implemented as crops mature for harvest, where such measures would no doubt lessen raids by other conflict species.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the Indonesian Ministry of Forestry and the Director of KSNP, Ir Luhut Sihombing, for granting permission to conduct this research and to Doddy Yu Saputra and the farmers across the farming communities for assisting our field research. This study was possible due to the generous and much appreciated support from Rufford Small Grants, Chester Zoo, People’s Trust for Endangered Species, Free the Bears Fund, Rare Species Conservation Trust, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, Zoo Atlanta, and 21st Century Tiger. We would like to thank Tatyana Humle, Gail Campbell-Smith and Gabriella Fredriksson for useful comments that improved the quality of this manuscript.

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  1. Durrell Institute of Conservation & Ecology, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK

    W-M. Wong, N. Leader-Williams & M. Linkie

  2. Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

    N. Leader-Williams

  3. Fauna & Flora International, Cambridge, UK

    M. Linkie

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  1. W-M. Wong
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Wong, WM., Leader-Williams, N. & Linkie, M. Managing Human-Sun Bear Conflict in Sumatran Agroforest Systems. Hum Ecol 43, 255–266 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10745-015-9729-1

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