Abstract
On the global stage, massive efforts are directed towards the preservation of biodiversity. However, even in protected areas, the populations of several species are dwindling. This is due to several factors including limited resources, under-motivated staff, poorly enforced laws and regulations, and corruption. Under these conditions, illegal poaching flourishes in protected areas in an alarming frequency that needs to be curbed. In an environment characterized by limited resources and poor management of wildlife, targeted efforts are required for efficacy in the design and implementation of the patrol agendas of rangers. The present study proposes a probability poaching map for the Matusadona National Park in Zimbabwe. To this end, poaching occurrence points collected over 10 years in wet vs. dry seasons were analysed, along with various ecological variables (bioclim, distance to water, distance to roads, NDVI). The geographic species distribution of poaching incidents were analysed using Ripley’s K test and employing Kernel density spatial hotspot analysis...
M.Sc. (Environmental Management)