Community Camera Trapping: A Novel Method for Encouraging Human–Big Cat Coexistence on Human‐Dominated Land

Journal article : Letter

Human–wildlife conflict (HWC) poses a significant threat to both human livelihoods and conservation, particularly for large, potentially dangerous species such as big cats. Here, we provide an overview of community camera trapping (CCT) and the expanded community camera‐trapping plus (CCT+) programs, which are innovative, inclusive approaches that can help reduce conflict and improve coexistence. We illustrate how CCT, through a combination of participatory monitoring and tangible benefits directly linked to wildlife presence, helps create initial changes in attitude and tolerance towards big cats and other wildlife. CCT+ builds on this by introducing additional incentives and disincentives that promote conservation‐friendly behavior change, leading to tangible improvements in coexistence. We explain the approaches, highlight key aspects for practitioners to consider, and discuss the potential to scale these approaches to strengthen human–wildlife coexistence across diverse contexts.

Authors: Dickman, A; Cotterill, A; Asecheka, S; Mlaponi, Z; Mbugi, H

• Publication status: Published
• Publisher: Wiley
• Journal: Wildlife Letters
• Publication date: 2025-04-09
• Acceptance date: 2025-01-29
• DOI: 10.1002/wll2.70006
• EISSN: 2832-5869
• ISSN: 2832-5869
• Language: English
• Keywords: 社区相机陷阱监测; big cats; conservation; 人与野生动物的冲突; coexistence; 大型猫科动物; CCT+; behavior change; 保护; 行为改变; 共存; human–wildlife conflict; 社区相机陷阱监测加强版; CCT
• Subtype: Letter