An Evolutionary Approach to Wildlife Damage of Economic Activity

Abstract

"This paper models the effects of wildlife conservation on a community of farmers living in the surroundings of a national park. Community members undertake not only traditional farming activities, but also defensive hunting. In later versions of the manuscript some farmers will complement their earnings with eco-tourism activities. The park authority obtains some revenues from eco-tourism activities and can share part of these earnings with community members. Traditional conflict on carnivores’ predation on livestock is still present, but will be modified in those cases where farmers extract additional rents from tourism activities or where the park agency shares part of its income. Traditional farmers hunt carnivores to reduce their loss of livestock. Using and evolutionary economics approach, we explore existence and stability conditions of equilibria in the system, showing that new stable equilibria where wildlife is more highly valued emerge when benefit-sharing policies take place. It is to be seen if this effect is maintained for eco-tourism activities. In addition, benefit-sharing policies entail higher levels of wildlife conservation."