Persistence and Perceptions: Forest Elephants and Farmer Attitudes in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Background and Research Aims: The Democratic Republic of Congo is among the leading timber exporters in Africa. Over the past two decades, human-driven deforestation has brought forest elephants Loxodonta cyclotis into closer contact with humans, leading to increased human-elephant conflicts. Understanding the attitudes of communities that predominantly depend on livestock farming and agriculture for their livelihoods is essential for designing effective conservation interventions. This study aims to assess those factors influencing farmers’ attitudes towards the presence of forest elephants in the Western part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Methods: We conducted interviews with a random sample of n = 45 farmers across five small villages in the Lukula territory. The effect of gender, age, education, and per capita income on the attitude towards the presence of forest elephants was analysed using a Bayesian ordinal regression mixed model to account for the small sample size. Farmers’ opinions regarding the most effective preventive measure/s to protect croplands were explored using Fisher’s exact test. Results: The results showed no significant effects of gender, age, or education in terms of attitudes towards the presence of forest elephants. In contrast, negative attitudes were significantly more prevalent among farmers with higher per capita incomes. Reforestation and beehive fences were most frequently quoted by farmers as effective methods of preventing human-elephant conflicts. Discussion: The perceived future losses due to elephant-related damages may drive more negative attitudes towards the presence of forest elephants. Notably, our study revealed that the species is still present in the Western transboundary area of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where, according to the farmers interviewed, it has never disappeared. Implications for Conservation: To enhance forest elephant conservation, it is essential to implement effective prevention measures, engage government authorities and local communities in conservation activities, and develop educational campaigns to foster human-elephant coexistence in shared landscapes.