Perceptions of local residents and authorities on human–wildlife coexistence in Zimbabwe.

Abstract

Human–wildlife conflicts (HWCs) in human–wildlife coexisting communities have emerged as a direct impediment to sustainable conservation tourism in the protected areas (PAs). Despite the overemphasised prospects for conservation tourism redeeming worn-out economies in the human–wildlife coexisting communities, the resurgence of HWCs has resulted in the host communities’ resistance to human–wildlife coexistence (HWC). Subsequently, the community resistance to coexistence is a further deterrent to sustainable conservation tourism development. Based on the Victoria Falls case, this paper seeks to investigate HWCs affecting tourism development in human–wildlife coexisting communities, with the subsequent aim of suggesting policy and recommendations that promote symbiosis for sustainable tourism in terms of the communities residing in Zimbabwean PAs. Surveys and interviews were conducted with 265 household resource-related persons. The findings revealed that human population growth and urbanisation contribute significantly to HWCs in Victoria Falls. Furthermore, the results show that, despite the existing HWCs, the majority of the residents are open to HWC, if the processes of policy formulation and implementation inclusively embrace full local residents’ participation.

Keywords

• Human–wildlife conflicts
• Human–wildlife coexistence
• sustainable conservation tourism
• Victoria Falls
• Zimbabwe