Snake Conflict Management
Human-snake conflict has been a long-standing issue in Indonesia, causing unfortunate incidents to both parties involved (e.g. snakebite envenomation, snakes being killed due to fear and lack of knowledge). In Bogor, where the human population is constantly rising, and wild spaces are quickly being reduced, conflict between humans and wildlife is becoming even more common.
Attempting to mitigate this conflict, we have implemented several methods as follows:
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Education/Outreach to local communities (general public)
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Relocation of conflict snakes (rescue/release) where necessary
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Training to first responders (fire service) on how to best handle human-snake conflict situations
Human-wildlife conflict is a very complex issue, that requires constant innovation to diversify methods of mitigation - there is no "easy fix" that can make it disappear. Due to this, we have implemented various methods within each method stated above.
In 2021, we are designing a research project to evaluate our methods, starting with a reticulated python monitoring program. This study aims to provide a better understanding on the effects of translocation on reticulated pythons in West Java.