SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS DRIVING PRIMATE TOURISM AND COMPOUNDING HUMAN-NON HUMAN PRIMATE CONFLICTS WITHIN URBAN GREEN SPACES: CASE OF NAIROBI CITY PARK

Abstract

Green spaces such as parks and sports fields are a fundamental component of any urban ecosystem by playing a critical role as wildlife refuge, recreation centers and offering a myriad of environmental services. The Nairobi City Park is one such green space within Kenya’s capital city offering a serene environment for recreation to the city dwellers. The desire to boost the economic gains provided for by the resident nonhuman primates (Highland Sykes andVervetmonkeys)bypromotingcloseinteractionswithtouristsisescalatinghuman-nonhumanprimatesconflicts within the park. This study evaluated the economic, cultural and social aspects driving human-nonhuman primate conflict at and around the park. Additionally, the role of entrepreneurs at the city market, photographers, park visitors,culturalbeliefs,and wastemanagementpracticesinshapingtheconflict wasassessedusingclosedandopen endedquestionnairesbetweenMayand August2018.Despitepoorwastemanagementbeinghighlightedasthemain source of conflict (56%), a good percentage of the respondents (32%) attributed the problem to feeding of monkeys by the tourists. However, 76% of the tourists blamed photographers who provide commercial feeds for enticing monkeys during photo session. Notable was the high liking of monkey’s presence around the park by a large percentage of hawkers and market traders (84%) due to enhanced bait sales. A large proportion of the respondents (59%), however, believe it is their God given duty to feed the monkeys. Additionally, the Asian community was blamed for supplying monkeys with bananas to gratify their cultural beliefs, and further promoting overdependence on provisioning. Despite understanding the technical aspects of human-nonhuman primate conflicts resolution, this study unveils the complex social and economic factors requiring redress when initiating comprehensive and interdisciplinary approaches for promoting primate tourism and long-term management of human-wildlife conflicts within urban green spaces.