Stakeholder Barriers and Benefits Associated With Improving Livestock Husbandry to Prevent Jaguar and Puma Depredation

ABSTRACT

Motivating ranchers to adopt preventive husbandry practices that limit livestock depredation by large carnivores, such as jaguars (Panthera onca) and pumas (Puma concolor), requires reducing perceived barriers and increasing benefits associated with coexistence. We assessed stakeholder perspectives on preventive practices by conducting eight focus groups consisting of ranchers, researchers, and government wildlife officers in Costa Rica using a nominal group technique to identify and rank benefits, barriers, and motivations. We identified 29 benefits, 27 positive motivations, 33 negative motivations, and 20 barriers. Common responses among stakeholders highlight the importance of economic issues, contextual factors, and external support. However, social interactions, a reactive approach to management, and personal motivations also influence rancher decision making, but tend to be ignored by researchers and wildlife officers. Nominal group rankings reveal misunderstandings and misalignment of priorities among stakeholders that should be targeted by collaborative problem-solving processes. Motivations behind prevention expose nuances of human–wildlife conflict.

KEYWORDS:

• Human–wildlife conflict
• incentives
• motivation
• nominal group technique
• stakeholder analysis

Acknowledgments

Many ranchers, local allies, and volunteers were key partners, especially G. Gutiérrez, D. Corrales, L. Corella, G. Díaz, M. Marquez, and N. Valverde. We thank M. Monroe, E. Pienaar, M. Swisher, D. Thornton, and the anonymous reviewers for helpful reviews of this study.

Funding

Funds were provided by the Tropical Conservation and Development Program at the University of Florida, and a Legacy Scholarship from the Wild Felid Research and Management Association. Additional support was provided by the Fulbright-LASPAU Faculty Development Program, the School of Biology at the University of Costa Rica, the Costa Rican Ministry of Environment, the National System of Conservation Areas, and the Wild Cat Conflict Response Unit (UACFel in Spanish).

Additional information

Funding

Funds were provided by the Tropical Conservation and Development Program at the University of Florida, and a Legacy Scholarship from the Wild Felid Research and Management Association. Additional support was provided by the Fulbright-LASPAU Faculty Development Program, the School of Biology at the University of Costa Rica, the Costa Rican Ministry of Environment, the National System of Conservation Areas, and the Wild Cat Conflict Response Unit (UACFel in Spanish).