Paper short abstract:

This paper concerns the philosophical principles underlying human security, biodiversity loss and human-wildlife conflicts. It argues for a justifiability principle. The value of which is shown via examples of the colonial removal of indigenous people form the Serengeti plains, and wolves in Europe.

Paper long abstract:

The 1994 Human Development Report introduced the concept of human security which was understood as protecting “the vital core of all human lives in ways that enhance human freedoms and human fulfilment”. Wildlife can be a threat to human security (IUCN, 2024), for example, a foraging elephant can destroy a livelihood within a matter of a hours. At the same time, over 44,000 species are threatened with extinction (IUCN, 2024). The main direct drivers of biodiversity loss - climate change, invasive species, pollution, natural resource use and exploitation and land use change – increase human-wildlife conflicts and are thus problematic for both human and animal security.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN, 2023) has produced Guidelines aimed at establishing principles for human-wildlife conflicts. Though practical, they involve underlying philosophical assumptions and, more explicitly, issues surrounding justice. This paper examines the first principle – do no harm – starting with John Stuart Mill’s ([1859]1975) formulation. It will be argued that this principle is too stringent. Instead, it should be replaced by a justifiability principle, founded on a critical contractualism and legitimate freedoms (Crabtree, 2016), which is more in keeping with the other foundational principles.

The discussion examines two cases - the Serengeti National Park, established by colonial powers and included the forced removal of indigenous people and the loss of their lands Preventing them from leading the lives they and their ancestors had valued leading for millennia (Shetler, 2007). Raising the issue of reparations. The second concerns wolves - a protected species in Europe - their presence can induce fear, livelihood loss and even lives (Linnell, et al. 2021). It will be argued that the justifiability principle allows for greater sensitivity to context allowing for greater human and animal security.

Crabtree, A. (2016). Sustainable development: Does the capability approach have anything to offer? Outlining a legitimate freedom approach. In The capability approach and sustainability (pp. 39-56). Routledge.

IUCN (2023). SSC guidelines on human-wildlife conflict and coexistence. First edition. Gland, Switzerland

Linnell, J. D. C., Kovtun, E. & Rouart, I. 2021. Wolf attacks on humans: an update for 2002–2020. NINA Report 1944 Norwegian Institute for Nature Research.

Mill J.S. (1895) reprinted in Utilitarianism ed. Mary Warnock, (1975) Collins, Glasgow.

Shetler, J. B. (2007). Imagining Serengeti: A history of landscape memory in Tanzania from earliest times to the present. Ohio University Press.