Non-consumptive Use of Wildlife

Non-consumptive Use of Wildlife Non-consumptive Use Any non-hunting or non-extractive use Examples: wildlife feeding & photography, bird watching, whale watching Non-consumptive Use Since 1955, US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) has conducted national surveys of fishing, hunting and wildlife-associated recreation One of the Nation's most important wildlife recreation databases Conducted (with US census Bureau) every 5 years Sample of 85,000 households Funded by the 1937 Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act http://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/subpages/nationalsurvey/national_survey.htm 1

2006 Survey Highlights Over 100 million U.S. residents 16 years old and older fished, hunted, or wildlife watched 29.9 million people fished 12.5 million hunted 71.1 million participated in at least one type of wildlife-watching activity including observing, feeding, or photographing wildlife 2006 Survey Highlights 31% of the U.S. population fed, observed, or photographed wildlife 13% increase from 1996 to 2006 Wildlife Watching Expenditures In 2006 Hunters and anglers spent $75 billion Wildlife watchers spent $45 billion Total = $120 billion, or 1% of US gross domestic product 2

Non-consumptive Use - Drawbacks Non-consumptive Use - Drawbacks Non-consumptive Use - Drawbacks 3

Non-consumptive Use - Drawbacks Human wildlife conflict Altering animal behavior Problems with feeding animals one of the central issues Animals can become stressed Whale watching in Argentina Safari driver in Kenya Etc. Non-consumptive Use Humananimal conflict Humans and animals can become comfortable around each others presence Decreased vigilance can lead to increased conflict Rare but it can happen. Make sure you always respect wildlife and are constantly aware of your surroundings. 4

Altered Animal Behavior Alteration of behavior How might ecotourism increase predation? Altered Animal Behavior Non-consumptive Use Feeding Wildlife Potential negatives: 5

Potential negatives: Feeding Wildlife When animals learn that humans can provide a cheap and easy food source: Lose their natural fear of humans Associate people with food Become a danger/pest Lose natural foraging behaviors Feeding Wildlife Feeding wildlife from vehicles Traffic hazards Costly property damage Injury! People injured by wildlife Wildlife injured by vehicles Feeding Wildlife Comic from The Oatmeal: Matthew Inman 6

Russian grizzlies become motorway hazard as they wander freely across road, stop traffic and approach cars for food Drivers are feeding the animals in the remote Russian region of Uvatsky Police fear they could be attacked when they unwind their car windows Daily Mail/Siberian Times 10 June 2013 More cars damaged as spate of bears getting trapped in vehicles while looking for food continues The interiors are ruined when the animals become trapped and stressed The problem has arisen in Truckee near Lake Tahoe in California Daily Mail, 23 October 2013 Feeding Wildlife Feeding Wildlife 7

Feeding Wildlife Animals congregate in large numbers Spread disease Become a nuisance May attract predators "People" food is not for animal consumption Garbage that smells good may also be consumed Can lead to increased human-wildlife conflict Feeding Wildlife Summer of 1969 Glacier National Park, MT Granite Park Chalet Nightly Bear Shows One fatality, one serious injury Stopped practice 8

Feeding Wildlife Backyard wildlife feeding Contaminated feeders Predation (e.g., cats) 9

Case Study: Don t Feed the Dolphins (too much) Tourism in Shark Bay, Australia ~2,700 dolphins Since 1960s dolphins have received food handouts (now supervised) Case Study: Don t Feed the Dolphins (too much) Shark Bay s Eastern Gulf Home to 2 nd longest running dolphin research project (1982) Indian Ocean bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) Population roughly 200 individuals Case Study: Don t Feed the Dolphins (too much) Since 1960s Humans have been feeding small number of dolphins (3 families, all females) that approach the Monkey Mia beach Behavior originated from boat begging Anglers fed dolphins fish scraps Originally a free for all Dolphins fed ad libitum (whenever people want); often given junk food 10

Case Study: Don t Feed the Dolphins (too much) Case Study: Don t Feed the Dolphins (too much) Calves nurse from their mothers and begin catching their own fish around 3-4 months of age Calves seem to learn a lot of their behaviors by observing their mothers Calves typically wean around 4 years old Shark Bay dolphin and calf Photo: Ewa Krzyszczyx Case Study: Don t Feed the Dolphins (too much) 1987-1994 Fed females lost most of their calves Why? Possibilities: Mann et al. 2000. Behavioral Ecology 11

Case Study: Don t Feed the Dolphins (too much) 1987-1994 Fed females lost most of their calves Why? Possibilities: Mothers spent too much time interacting with tourists; not enough teaching young how to forage Disease from human contact Change in diet Different density or distribution of predators near shore Mann et al. 2000. Behavioral Ecology Case Study: Don t Feed the Dolphins (too much) Other signs of negative effects: A calf that had been fed by humans since 18 months of age became beach dependent, emaciated and died. Did not demonstrate natural foraging behavior, begged from boats. A calf was killed by a tiger shark while its mother begged for fish from tourists. The calf was also emaciated. Mann and Kemps. 2003. The Effects of Provisioning on Maternal Care in Wild Bottlenose Dolphins, Shark Bay, Australia Case Study: Don t Feed the Dolphins (too much) In 1995, based on findings of dolphin researchers Western Australia Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) implemented new feeding rules Maximum of 3 feedings per day, no calves fed Dolphins fed only fish in natural diet 25% of daily need DEC biologists manage the feedings Choose tourists from the crowd Provide instructions so that no dolphin is hurt or fed the wrong item Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpb4wyfzss8&feature=related 12

Reproduction is back to normal (6/6 calves survived) Case Study: Bahamian rock iguanas Iguanas fed by tourists: Less wary, more vulnerable to predators Ingested more trash, non-native foods, sand Tourists feeding Northern Bahamian Rock Iguanas (Cyclura cychlura) at the landing beach on Leaf Cay, northern Exumas (Bahamas) Photo: Kirsten N. Hines 2011. Herpetological Conservation and Biology. Mitigation Examples Komodo dragon feedings discontinued, natural foraging behaviors returned Iguana feeding station in Turks and Caicos was transformed into a non-feeding walking tour with educational signage Garbage pit removals caused grizzly bears in Glacier no longer congregate around Chalets 13

Good Morning! Everyone come up and grab one notecard. Only one notecard per student Eastern Gorilla (Gorilla beringei) http://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/animal-planet-presents/videos/planetsbest-mountain-gorillas.htm Ecotourism Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the welfare of local people - (The International Ecotourism Society) Ecotourism is growing 10% per year Is it always good? 14

Ecotourism Principles Minimize impact Build environmental and cultural awareness and respect Provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts Provide local people direct financial benefits for conservation Raise sensitivity to host countries' political, environmental, and social climate Wildlife Watching Benefits Ecotourists will pay a lot for the opportunity Supplements traditional funding, which is inadequate Ecotourists, including wildlife watchers, invest more in local economy than other tourists Less filtering (money reaches areas where it is most needed) Engenders interest in the environment, wildlife Increases support for wildlife conservation Wildlife Watching Increasingly popular form of ecotourism Bird watching, whale watching, wildlife safaris, etc. 15

Wildlife Watching: Potential Costs Wildlife Watching: Potential Costs Altered feeding patterns Increased stress Mortality (Boat-wildlife collisions, boats flipped, wildlife attacks etc.) Altered communication (Animals less likely to vocalize) Species introductions, more roads/facilities, increased pollution, habitat degradation How does this fit in with our discussion on whether animals are as dangerous as we perceive? Case Study: The Dolphins of Monkey Mia 1993 first commercial dolphin watching boat 1998 2 nd vessel Compared control area to tourism area What do you think they found in terms of dolphin numbers as tourist boat numbers increased? 16

Change in no. of dolphins (%) Change in no. of dolphins (%) Case Study: The Dolphins of Monkey Mia One tour boat: no effect on dolphin abundance Bejder et al. (2006) Conservation Biology Tursiops aduncus Case Study: The Dolphins of Monkey Mia One tour boat: no effect on dolphin abundance Two tour boats: roughly 20 dolphins abandoned the ecotourism area At the same time, dolphin abundance increased in a nearby control area (dotted line) Why the increase and why need for a control? Wildlife Watching: Potential Costs Case study: Harbor seal viewing Kenai Fjords National Park Vessel and kayak sightings/interactions 17

Wildlife Watching: Harbor seals Sensitive to traffic due to wary, vigilant behavior Haul out in groups May alter haul outs (timing, location) in response to disturbance Disturbance: May disrupt nursing, resting May cause mothers to abandon young pups Wildlife Watching: Harbor seals Study: Remote video monitoring Record instances of disturbance behaviors Hoover-Miller et al. 2013. The Journal of Wildlife Management Wildlife Watching: Potential Costs 18

Wildlife Watching: Potential Costs Seals more sensitive to kayaks! What did they do? Provided training to vessel operators and kayak guides Ecotourism Masai Mara New lodge constructed in 2010 Temporary tents Great location for viewing wildlife Ecotourism Masai Mara Constructed on black rhino breeding ground Didn t obtain proper permits BE CAREFUL WHEN BOOKING FOR ECOTOURISM 19

TOURISM AND THE MARA 2 nd Most important industry in Kenya ($811 million dollars in 2010) # lodges in Mara expanding (currently ~82) Mara home to annual migration One of best reserves in Africa vitally important ECO-CERTIFICATION Started in 2002 3 step process Vague instructions 4 levels: Gold Silver Bronze Non ANALYSIS Price -Per person per night Customer Satisfaction -Trip Advisor Amenities Included: Sustainable practices -Solar -Organic -Water Socially Responsible Actions: 20

SUMMARY: DIFFERENT CERTIFICATION LEVELS No difference in price No difference in satisfaction No difference in sustainability Significant difference in amenities included PROBLEM = Lack of transparency SUMMARY: ECO VS. NON- ECO Price NO DIFFERENCE Included amenities SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES Sustainable measures Customer satisfaction Wildlife Watching 21

Wildlife Watching Ecotourism Effectiveness Rapidly developing business Does it work? Why does it work in some cases but not others? Kruger 2005. Biodiversity and Conservation Ecotourism Effectiveness Looked at 251 case studies Compared case studies reported as sustainable compared to case studies not sustainable Looked for common trends 22

What do you think he found were the prime reasons that some eco programs were not sustainable? 23

Eco-tourism to work Transparency Eco-tourism to work Money must benefit surrounding communities Cooperation from local communities and enforcement Take Home Message Non-consumptive use of wildlife (ecotourism, etc.) can be harmful to some wildlife species and has to be carefully managed Competition between operators a problem Management practices based on scientific data can be effective 24

5 minute in class essay Put your name and student ID on your card Must answer both questions to get full credit The answers are graded unlike the quiz Each person must turn in only their own notecard. 5 minute in class essay What are potential problems that come with ecotourism? What was the number one reason researchers found for unsustainable ecotourism schemes? 25