The gendered costs of human-wildlife conflict: A global systematic review

Human-wildlife conflict is a pressing worldwide issue with consequences that are experienced differently across groups of people. Societal expectations and gender norms ensure that the consequences of these conflicts have nuanced, gender-dependent implications. We conducted a systematic literature review on human-wildlife conflict to synthesize gendered costs. We examined six cost types: economic, physical, psychological, social, conservation management participation, and wildlife crime, and found that these costs varied significantly by gender. We also found that costs have gendered consequences for how people perceive the wildlife involved in these conflicts. We identify a range of opportunities and entry points for managers, researchers, and policymakers interested in reducing costs associated with human-wildlife conflict by more directly accounting for gender.