Year of Award

2023

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Name

Resource Conservation (International Conservation and Development)

Department or School/College

Society and Conservation

Committee Chair

Jennifer Thomsen

Commitee Members

Brian Chaffin, Sarah Halvorson, Joseph Mbaiwa

Publisher

University of Montana

Abstract

Within the largest population of African savanna elephants (Loxodonta africana) on the continent, Botswana’s Chobe Enclave is a group of agricultural communities bounded by protected areas and an international border. Human-elephant conflict (HEC) is a major concern for both Enclave residents and conservation practitioners. This research asked how institutional arrangements shape the governance of HEC in the Chobe Enclave. Previous research has shown that technical solutions to HEC must be complemented by integrating governance across local, national, and international levels to make elephant conservation and management more inclusive of people who live alongside elephants. This research employed a Critical Institutional approach and in-depth interviews with Enclave residents and conservation practitioners to explore how institutional arrangements shaped HEC governance. People in the Chobe Enclave experience HEC, not only because of increasing human and elephant populations, but also as the result of historic policies dating to the colonial era. As a result, Enclave residents experience both the impacts of elephants and conflict with conservation practitioners over the implementation of HEC reduction strategies. These results suggest that conservation practitioners should move from conservation interventions based in communities to those that are led by communities. This research recommends a series of strategies to restore HEC governance to people in the Chobe Enclave.

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