Book Chapter
Management of Wildlife and Habitat in Developing Countries

This chapter attempts to explain why and in what circumstances a precipitous rate of decline in the stocks of natural capital is not, by itself, a cause for concern. Many problems related to optimal use of wildlife and habitat can be addressed by better design of property rights systems so that ‘owners’ have an incentive to exclude others. Such property right systems can gradually lead to tradable quotas whereby price can generate revenue for conservation efforts. The chapter uses examples of African wildlife areas and the scope for using mixed strategies where ‘owners’ keep both cattle and game. From an economic analysis vantage point, it is argued that game and cattle interact on both demand and supply sides. Some of the benefits of wildlife viewing are illustrated with the cases of Lumpinee Park in Thailand and Korup National Park in Cameroon.