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Proximity in a Ghanaian savanna: Human reactions to the African palm civet Nandinia binotata
Author(s) -
Campbell Michael
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
singapore journal of tropical geography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.538
H-Index - 42
eISSN - 1467-9493
pISSN - 0129-7619
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-9493.2009.00369.x
Subject(s) - wildlife , geography , human settlement , socioeconomics , bushmeat , clearance , population , livestock , habitat , agroforestry , environmental protection , ethnology , ecology , forestry , sociology , demography , archaeology , biology , medicine , urology
Understanding human reactions to wildlife, including the differing reactions of different groups to different species, is important given that expanding human population and settlements increasingly result in natural habitat loss or modification and, consequently, wildlife adaptation and encroachment into cleared and created human spaces such as wastelands and farms. This paper examines the importance of gender and age in the responses of rural coastal villagers in Ghana to the presence of African palm civets. Social data gathered from 450 residents in six villages indicated that women and young people were significantly more fearful of civets, seeing them as village marauders, food thieves and livestock predators. Women were also more likely to carry sticks and beat thick vegetation to dispel civets out of concern for the safety of their children and homes. These findings may inform both rural development and conservation debates and policies.