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. 2022 Feb 7;12(2):e8591.
doi: 10.1002/ece3.8591. eCollection 2022 Feb.

Human-wildlife conflict in the surrounding districts of Alage College, Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia

Zelalem Temesgen  1 , Girma Mengesha  2 , Tefera B Endalamaw  2
Affiliations

Human-wildlife conflict in the surrounding districts of Alage College, Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia

Zelalem Temesgen et al. Ecol Evol. .

Abstract

The study was conducted between September 2018 and March 2019 to investigate the nature and extent of human-wildlife conflict (HWC) in the surrounding area of Alage College, the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia, and to assess the perception of the local people to wildlife. For data collection, a total of 140 household (HH) heads were selected randomly for interviews from nine villages using structured and semi-structured questionnaires. Moreover, focus group discussion, key informant interviews, and personal observation were carried out to obtain additional information. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square test (2 tailed), one-way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficient, and Likert scale statements were used to analyze the data. Based on, 66 (47.1%) of the respondents, HH heads, the local people of the area experienced livestock predation leading to HWC. Whereas, (40.7%, n = 57) of the respondents perceived both crop damage and livestock predation as a cause of conflict. A total of 932.43 total livestock unit of livestock and 218 dogs' losses were reported by HH due to predators over the last 5 years. Thus, the largest number of livestock (89.9%) and dogs (100%) attacks was happened due to spotted hyenas. Nearly half of the respondents (49.3%, n = 69) ranked warthogs as the primary crop raiders, while the majority of respondents (82.1%, n = 115) reported maize as a severely damaged cereal crop. More than half, (57.1%, n = 80) of respondents used different methods simultaneously to minimize damage caused by wild animals. About half, (48.6%, n = 68) of respondents had a negative attitude toward wildlife conservation. The level of education and amount of money imposed as a penalty for illegal grazing were affecting the local community's attitudes to wildlife conservation. Using effective methods to reduce damage and loss to crops, including improved livestock husbandry and creating better awareness to the local community could make the locals actor of conservation.

Keywords: alage college; attitude; crop raiding; human‐dominated landscapes; livestock predation.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that we have no competing interests.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Map of Ethiopia showing the location of Alage College and its surrounding districts
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Some of the wild animals inhabited in Alage; (a) Vervet Monkeys around human settlement, (b) Squiller in riverial habitat, and (c) Olive baboons in Acacia wooded grassland
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Total number of domestic animals loss per predators over the last 5 years as reported by the respondents
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Respondents’ view of major drivers to cause of human–wildlife conflict (N = 140)
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 5
Way of keeping livestock during night‐time across the study villages (N = 140)
FIGURE 6
FIGURE 6
Respondents’ estimation of money paid as penalty due to illegal grazing per villages in the last 5 years (ETB; 1 US DOLLAR = 28.1089 ETB)
FIGURE 7
FIGURE 7
Type of traditional enclosure used to keep livestock during night
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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