Ethnozoological study of medicinal animals used by the inhabitants of the Kucha District, Gamo Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: An ethnozoological study of medicinal animals in the Kucha district, Gamo zone, Southern Ethiopia, was conducted to investigate and document the use of traditional medicinal animals and the associated indigenous knowledge. Tribal people still make abundant use of animals and their parts to manage diseases in humans and even livestock.

Method: A cross sectional study design and purposively sampling techniques were used. Data were collected from 132 respondents based on semi structured questionnaires. Focus group discussions (FGD) and Key informant interviews (KII) were conducted; Fidelity level (FL), Relative frequency of citation (RFC) and Informants' consensus factor (ICF) were used to analyze species preference and importance.

Results: A total of 24 medicinal animals were identified with 13 species (54.2%) being mammals of which 5 species (20.8%) dominated. They were followed by arthropods, reptiles and fishes. Seven out of the total were domestic species (29%) and 17 (70%) were wild animals. The majority of these animals, i.e. 22 (91.7%), were used to treat human ailments; whereas 2 (8.3%) were used to treat livestock ailments. The ICF values varied from 0.8 to 1.The highest FL value (98%) was linked to the cow (cattle), the lowest (1.5%) to the scorpion. The RFC value (1.0) was highest for the cow and lowest (0.02) for the scorpion. Honey, milk, and butter were the most commonly used therapeutic animal products, but regarding direct uses, fresh/raw meat dominated. Out of ten ailment categories, headaches had the lowest ICF value (0.8). All others scored at least 0.9.

Conclusions: In rural areas, sick people often do not only have limited access to modern medical facilities, they actually prefer traditional treatments considering them to be more reliable and effective. It is therefore important to focus on documenting, conserving, and safeguarding the indigenous knowledge so that strategies to manage the traditional wisdom can be implemented in the future. To achieve these goals, it is important to make sure that medicinal animal species are available in sufficient numbers and neither threatened by habitat changes or overexploitation.

Keywords: Ethnozoology; Fidelity level; Indigenous knowledge; Informant consensus factor; Medicinal animals; Relative frequency of citation; Traditional remedies.

Fig. 1

Map showing the study area A Ethiopia with SNNPR (Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region) and GPS coordinates of 9.1450N and 40.4897E, B SNNPR with Gamo zone, C Gamo zone with Kucha district in blue, D Kucha district with study sub-districts (kebeles), E Study sub-districts (kebeles) within the Kucha district and GPS coordinates of 6.499998N and 37.333332E. Numbers on the x and y axes are distances in km

Fig. 2

Investigator (left) with male key informant

Fig. 3

Investigator (right) with a female key informant

Fig. 4

Researcher involved in group discussion with informants

Fig. 5

Bedposts made of bone

Fig. 6

Animal fur as traditional cape

Fig. 7

Animal skin as part of a chair

Fig. 8

Drum of animal hide

Fig. 9

Bone spoon for porridge (mokae)

Fig. 10

Musical instrument made of animal horn

Fig. 11

Various animal products are used as decorations and auxiliaries by the Kucha people during celebrations