A Qualitative Study to Determine the Status of Poaching in Terms of Sustainable Nature Tourism Management

Hunting activities are attempted to be controlled by laws and regulations due to their impact on nature and wildlife. Although regulations are imposed on designated hunting areas, huntable animal species, and their numbers each hunting season, unlicensed or poaching activities continue both as a touristic activity and a source of livelihood. These activities cause serious damage to the ecological balance, and despite the sanctions applied, the damage to nature is irreversible. Especially within the scope of sustainable nature tourism management, preventing the damage caused by poaching to nature is of great importance. In this research, the motivations that lead individuals to hunting were examined, and their relationships with unlicensed hunting and their thoughts on this subject were revealed. A qualitative research was conducted by conducting in-depth interviews with 20 hunters living in Sinop province. According to the findings, the vast majority of hunters started hunting at an early age, and their main motivations include family influence, hunting for hobby purposes, and protection of agricultural products. Among the main reasons for the tendency towards poaching are the inadequacy of legal regulations, the limited hunting opportunities offered by the state, and the perception of hunting as a sport. The participants drew attention to the shortcomings of the existing legal regulations and stated that inspections should be increased and sanctions should be made more deterrent. The research findings reveal that sustainable hunting policies should be developed, training programs should be implemented, and technological control systems should be increased in order to prevent poaching and raise awareness of nature conservation. The study offers important suggestions for the development of policies to reduce the negative impacts of poaching on nature in terms of nature tourism management

Agriculture · Hobby · Legislation · Poaching · Qualitative research · Sanctions · Sustainable development · Tourism · Wildlife · Diverse Aspects of Tourism Research · Recreation, Leisure, Wilderness Management · Wildlife Ecology and Conservation

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