2019-20 Annual Report Final - Flipbook - Page 36
Returning Fellows
share their findings
Our Fellows return
from their Fellowship
experiences excited
and motivated by
the new information
and ideas they
have gained. Their
Fellowship reports say
it all. Here are some
highlights...
Kim Wolfenden
To investigate cases of
human-wildlife conflict to improve
coexistence between people and
sharks - USA, South Africa
Multiple shark bites on one stretch
of coastline in northern New South
Wales, Australia, created a traumatic
crisis that moved through the
community like tumultuous waves
– intense, volatile and inescapable.
The opposing views on shark
management were exacerbated
by relentless media attention and
social conflicts that compounded the
trauma and threatened the identity,
wellbeing and security of many in the
community.
In response to the increasing
incidence of shark bites, the NSW
Government committed $16
million to the five year NSW Shark
Management Strategy (NSW
Department of Primary Industries
2015). The Strategy aims to increase
protection from shark bites to NSW
beachgoers, with minimal harm to
sharks and other marine wildlife. A
key focus has been trialling new and
innovative approaches to shark-bite
mitigation, such as drones and
tagging, and tracking sharks to learn
more about their movements.
I lead the community engagement
program for the NSW Department of
Primary Industries, the government
agency tasked to respond to the
crisis, and I have seen firsthand the
immense impact that multiple shark
bites have on a community.
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2019-20 Annual Report
Currently, formal training in
communications, engagement,
science and conservation does not
provide the theory, strategies and
practical tools for those working on
the front line and facing these social
conflicts about wildlife.
I wished to explore how we can
better address these complex
situations to ensure the wellbeing
of our communities, protect our
unique Australian beach and surf
culture, and minimise harm to marine
wildlife. Can we improve coexistence
between people and sharks?
To do this, I travelled to USA and
South Africa and investigated five
real-world cases of human–wildlife
conflict and coexistence: wolves
in Washington, USA; bears in
Anchorage, Alaska; white sharks
in Cape Cod, USA; white sharks
in Cape Town, South Africa; and
cheetahs in Namibia.
I also had discussions with
international agencies, including
the United Nations and the Human
Wildlife Conflict Task Force, and
heard key findings from a Workshop
in Advanced Capacity Building in
Conservation Conflict Transformation
that was led by the Center for
Conservation Peacebuilding in
Washington DC.