Managing Human-Wildlife Conflict on the Tibetan Plateau

Background: Rapid increases in protected wildlife population can lead to increased human-wildlife conflicts, challenging conservation program sustainability. As wildlife continue to thrive and increase on the Tibetan Plateau, human-wildlife conflict is expected to be an ever-present and evolving challenge, but the negative effects of such thriving wildlife are generally overlooked. Result: We found that growing wildlife populations and changes in behavior can have considerable negative effects on Sustainable Development Goals and associated targets. Moreover, these negative effects will likely be intensified as a result of climate change and anthropogenic pressures. Conclusion: If not adequately addressed, then rebounding wildlife populations may cause or reinforce human-wildlife conflict. We urge a reconsideration of traditional approaches to human-wildlife conflict mitigation on the Tibetan Plateau that do not shy away from approaching overabundance-related conflicts directly.