摘要：Communities neighbouring protected areas globally suffer various costs
while enjoying limited benefits from conservation areas. This study compared
livelihood costs and benefits to selected neighbouring communities around the
Somkhanda Game Reserve (SGR), which is a community-owned conserved area
and the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (HiP), a state-owned, provincial park in northern
KwaZulu-Natal. Quantitative (questionnaire) and qualitative (focus groups and
interviews with key informants) methods were used to examine the livelihood
impacts of the two conservation study sites on neighbouring communities. The
political ecology and the sustainable livelihood framework guided the research. The
most common livelihood costs incurred in both neighbouring communities include
loss of land, curtailed access to traditionally used natural resources, destruction of
crops and devouring of livestock by wild animals, loss or injury of human life by
wildlife and the spreading of wildlife diseases to livestock. Benefits included
employment opportunities, business opportunities, access to natural resources and
collection of firewood. The identified livelihood costs from the two conservation
areas have further been aggravated by lack of compensation to affected households.
The study recommends that measures should be taken to strengthen problem
animal control in the two conservation areas. Furthermore, both conservation areas
should come up with some compensation criteria to cover affected households.
关键词：human wildlife conflict; livelihood costs and benefits; state;owned
conservation area; community;based conservation area
