Human-wildlife conflict (HWC) is just as much an issue of nature conservation as it is an issue of public perception, as such conflicts often trigger strong negative attitudes not only toward the involved species but also toward nature conservation in general—including Protected Areas.

HWC is an acute problem throughout Georgia, though it varies from region to region with respect to both the species involved and the impact it has on local people. NACRES’ HWC Programme aims at filling in existing knowledge gaps regarding HWC and its root causes while promoting HWC mitigation and prevention measures through pilot programs and trials of new management techniques, especially in and around protected areas. NACRES has helped to address human-wildlife conflict by:

• Working with the government to establish a response scheme to human-wildlife conflict that would allow for a timely and effective response to every incident of HWC anywhere in the country
• Mitigating HWC in and around PAs through education, the introduction of compensation schemes such as insurance, private compensation funds, etc., and prevention methods such as electric fences, guard dogs, etc.
• Monitoring the attitudes of local populations and instances of HWC on Georgia’s winter pastures
• Studying the root causes of HWC through evaluation of the ecological balances in nature e.g. between carnivore and prey populations, local husbandry practices, livestock surveillance, and more.