Reconciling the Values and Needs of Wildlife and Local Communities: A Way Forward to Deal with Human-Wildlife Conflicts in Malaysia

Abstract

Human-wildlife conflicts represent a sign of undervaluing of various ecosystem services provided by wild animals. Such conflicts are common in many developing countries including Malaysia and occur when the values of wildlife have been overshadowed by short-term human gains as societies develop. This is indeed linked to market failure, i.e. wildlife and their habitats are often treated as public goods and hence they are prone to various threats and destruction. As a result, local communities have turned into victims of such conflicts affecting not only their long-term livelihood but also their lives. This chapter presents the various economic values of Malaysian wildlife and the consequences when these values are overlooked. Specifically, the associated costs due to local human-wildlife conflicts as well as conflict mitigation measures are discussed by highlighting local case studies. Besides local community involvement, the roles of various stakeholders including government agencies and non-governmental organisations are also included in the discussions. Finally, we review the current practices in Malaysia and recommend possible ways to reconcile the needs of local communities and wildlife to reduce these conflicts. In the end, this chapter intends to deliver a message that living harmoniously with wildlife is the way forward not only to sustain the livelihood of local communities in the developing countries but also the future development of these countries.