2013/01/01 by Katherine Groff, Mark Axelrod · 1 citation
Environmental Science · Psychology · #Wildlife Ecology and Conservation #Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management #Wildlife Conservation and Criminology Analyses #Poaching #National park #Wildlife #Geography #Incentive #Subsistence agriculture #Psychological intervention #Socioeconomics #Baseline (sea) #Wildlife conservation #Wildlife management #Environmental resource management #Environmental planning #Political science #Ecology #Agriculture #Sociology #Psychology #Economics
paper · doi:10.4103/0972-4923.121031
openalex publication_date 2013/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
When local and external interests differ, community development and conservation goals may conflict. This interest divide is especially apparent in the management of resources across national borders. This study considers illegal hunting of wildlife in Belize's Chiquibul National Park (CNP), which may contribute to decreasing wildlife populations. Community residents in neighbouring Guatemala engage in poaching within CNP, but management strategies are limited to Belizean efforts. This research assesses Guatemalan residents' perceptions of the extent of poaching, understanding of wildlife in CNP, and views on the legality and motivations for poaching. We address these objectives by interviewing Guatemalan border community residents, along with authorities on both sides of the border. Our findings indicate that cross-border poaching by Guatemalan residents is declining, yet still prevalent, in these communities. However, this research demonstrates little support for the hypothesis that regulations or punishments limit poaching. Instead, the subsistence needs of hunters and their families was found to be a more important factor affecting residents' decision to poach. Park managers should design conservation interventions accordingly.