Typology of hunters and analysis of hunting effort in the periphery of the Lomako-Yokokala Faunal Reserve (Democratic Republic of the Congo)

Abstract

This study focuses on hunter typology and hunting effort dynamics in the periphery of the Lomako-Yokokala Faunal Reserve (RFLY) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a landscape facing escalating anthropogenic pressures. The objective is to analyze the socio-economic profiles of hunters and quantify hunting effort in order to assess their implications for food security, economic dependence, livelihood alternatives, participatory governance, and wildlife conservation. Questionnaire surveys were conducted with 125 hunters using a non-probabilistic « snowballing » sampling method, complemented by five (5) focus group discussions. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, inferential testing (Chi-square test), and agglomerative hierarchical clustering (AHC). The findings indicate that hunting is an exclusively male activity, predominantly practiced by married adults belonging to the Mongo ethnic group (81.6%). Three distinct categories of hunters were identified: regular hunters (66.4%), occasional hunters (30.4%), and weekend hunters (3.2%). The primary motivations are rooted in food subsistence (55.2%) and income generation driven by a lack of alternative employment. The average hunting effort amounts to 8.77 trips per month (reaching up to 20 trips). Predominant techniques involve locally manufactured 12-gauge shotguns (34%) and pitfall traps (30%), primarily targeting primary forests (58%). A highly significant statistical association was observed between hunter categories and the techniques deployed (x2 = 28.3; p < 0.005). The high extraction rates and the non-selective nature of trapping exacerbate threats to the integrity of the reserve. This study advocates for reconciling conservation with community survival through the development of viable economic alternatives, participatory land-use planning, and the co-management of village hunting.