Human-Wildlife-Water Conflicts (HWWC) Inside and Outside of Protected Areas in Zimbabwe

Humans and wildlife share conservation landscapes and interaction is inevitable. Such interaction, mostly, results in negative outcomes for either parties through injury, harm, fatality, displacement, translocation, and restriction (confinement). Human wildlife conflict (HWC) has straightforward dynamics and is often more reported in Problem Animal Control (PAC) in terrestrial landscapes. However, HWC is complex and less often reported for aquatic systems inside and outside of protected areas in Zimbabwe. The fact that most of the protected areas are located in arid or semi-arid regions in the country implies that there is more competition among livestock, humans and wildlife for the scarce water resources. Such competition over water resources is termed human-wildlife-water conflict (HWWC in this Chapter) and has negative consequences on both wildlife biodiversity and livelihoods. The negative consequences of HWC in aquatic systems induces resentment towards the predators comprising mainly the Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus), amphibious common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibious) and the Nile monitor lizard (Varanus niloticus). In this chapter the focus is on the drivers of water conflicts, the risky livelihood activities that exposes humans and livestock to attacks from predators, and local perceptions on PAC in aquatic systems inside and outside of protected areas in Zimbabwe.