Title
Using patrol data-derived and independent measures to assess hunting prevalence in Eastern Cambodia.
Author(s)
O'Kelly, Hannah
Published
2014
Abstract
Monitoring threats such as illegal hunting can constitute an important means of evaluating management effectiveness in Southeast Asian PAs. However, estimating the prevalence of illegal activities is challenging due to their covert nature. As standardised law enforcement monitoring systems such as MIST (Management Information SysTem) and SMART (Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool) are rolled out in sites across the region, patrol data-derived measures are increasingly being used to monitor threats. This approach is appealing in that patrol data are inexpensive and readily accessible, but they are also subject to numerous sources of bias which can confound meaningful interpretation of observed patterns. Careful post hoc analysis can resolve some of the issues associated with patrol data but in certain instances independent measures of threat may be required for validation purposes. We present a framework for generating catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) threat indices from patrol data and for comparing these measure wit independent datasets. We illustrate the use of this framework with case study from in the Seima Protection Forest in Eastern Cambodia, where a unique independent assessment of snaring prevalence has been undertaken and is available for comparison with a standard MIST-based patrol dataset. The results of the independent survey confirmed that snare detectability is low, and indicated that habitat type and proximity to the Vietnamese border, the core area boundary, villages and patrol stations are all important determinants of snare placement. The comparison with patrol data>derived CPUE indices suggested that such measures can distinguish between areas of very high and low hunting pressure where good quality patrol data are available. However, meaningful interpretation of CPUE indices will depend heavily on decisions regarding the appropriate classification of infractions, the appropriate unit of measurement for patrol effort, and the appropriate spatial and temporal scale of analysis.

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PUB27057