Optimal allocation of law enforcement patrol effort to mitigate poaching activities

Optimal patrol strategies can significantly reduce poaching risk while minimizing costs, offering a more efficient approach to conservation law enforcement. A study applying decision analysis and spatial optimization algorithms to Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda, found that allocating 8,558 ranger patrol events annually—covering 1-km² sites—could achieve a 50% reduction in poaching risk at a cost of US$684,640. This approach outperforms historical efforts (2006–2016), which achieved only ~30% risk reduction under similar budgets. The model accounted for imperfect detection and spatial adjacency, providing a scalable framework for other conservation challenges. Park managers identified this balance as practical given funding constraints, highlighting the potential for cost-effective poaching mitigation in protected areas.

Moore, J. F., Udell, B. J., Martin, J., Turikunkiko, E., & Masozera, M. K. (2021). Optimal allocation of law enforcement patrol effort to mitigate poaching activities. Ecological Applications, 31(5). Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.2337