THE THREATS TO RHINOS

Disengaged Communities

Engagement and empowerment of local communities is critical to the long term success of wildlife conservation.

Unfortunately we still experience all too frequent cases of human wildlife conflict where local communities feel 'in competition' with the local wildlife. This can lead to a resistance to conservation practices which can take many months and sometimes years to breakdown. A disengaged community living on the borders of protected wild spaces can lead to an increase in illegal activities such as bushmeat poaching and setting of fires.

For conservation to succeed, local communities must see both short and long term benefit from living alongside wildlife and wildlife conservation programmes. It is essential that humans and wildlife have a way to exist harmoniously alongside each other and the both benefit from the presence of each other.