Attitudes and Perceptions of Local Communities towards Nile Crocodiles ( Crocodylus niloticus ) in the Sudd Wetlands, South Sudan

Conflicts between human populations and Nile crocodiles are widespread with crocodiles posing significant threats to fisherfolk and riverine communities across r-Saharan Africa. Hundreds of deadly attacks take place annually, and mortality rates may range from 50% to 100%. Attitudes and perceptions...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Animals (Basel) Vol. 14; no. 12; p. 1819
Main Authors:	Benansio, John Sebit, Damaya, Gift Simon, Funk, Stephan M, Fa, Julia E, Di Vittorio, Massimiliano, Dendi, Daniele, Luiselli, Luca
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Switzerland MDPI AG 18-06-2024 MDPI
Subjects:	Analysis Attitudes attitudes and perceptions towards conservation Biodiversity Biological diversity conservation Civil war Community Crocodiles Crocodylidae Crocodylus niloticus Dry season East Africa Economic activity Environmental protection fisherfolk Fishing Food security Habitats Health aspects Human acts Human behavior Livestock Meat National parks Protection and preservation questionnaires South Sudan Sudd wetlands Wetlands Wildlife conservation Witchcraft South Sudan Sudan Africa questionnaires Sudd wetlands attitudes and perceptions towards conservation Crocodylus niloticus East Africa fisherfolk
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Summary:	Conflicts between human populations and Nile crocodiles are widespread with crocodiles posing significant threats to fisherfolk and riverine communities across r-Saharan Africa. Hundreds of deadly attacks take place annually, and mortality rates may range from 50% to 100%. Attitudes and perceptions towards crocodiles were studied using structured questionnaires among fisherfolk along the River Nile and the Sudd wetlands in South Sudan. Local communities used crocodiles for their meat and skin/leather trades. The meat is regarded to enhance longevity, sexual potency, and protection against witchcraft. Crocodiles are perceived as a main threat to lives and livelihoods as they restrict people's freedom of movement along water bodies, attack livestock and humans, and devastate fishing equipment. To assess whether responses were influenced by the intensity of crocodile threats, published data on fatal crocodile attacks on humans and livestock were analysed using Generalised Linear Models (GLMs). This analysis indicated a direct link between the number of crocodile attacks and human attitudes. Crocodiles were generally feared and hated, and there was the agreement of the need to destroy breeding habitats. However, some attitudes were complex and nuanced as highlighted by the agreement of local communities on the need to destroy Nile Crocodile breeding habitats on the one hand and the need to establish crocodile sanctuaries as the the preferred strategy to mitigate risks and conflict on the other hand. There is a need for the creation of a crocodile sanctuary in the Sudd wetlands to minimise the risks of illegal hunting and to buffer the increasing pressure on crocodiles due to human population growth and economic upturn after the civil war.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23
ISSN:	2076-2615 2076-2615
DOI:	10.3390/ani14121819