Assessment of Human Wildlife Conflicts in Enduimet Wildlife Management Area, Longido District.

Kivuyo, Emanuel Michael (2024) Assessment of Human Wildlife Conflicts in Enduimet Wildlife Management Area, Longido District. Masters thesis, The Open University of Tanzania.

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Abstract

This study aimed to assess HWC in EWMA, Longido District. Household questionnaire surveys, key informant interviews, observation, and secondary sources were employed in data collection. Four types of HWC were established: livestock predation (30%), crop damages (26%), human harassment (23%,) and property damage. Underlying causes for HWC were Increased wildlife populations (32%), drought (28%), lack of water (20%), poor boma (5%), farm expansion (3%), inadequate pasture (5%), sharing of water sources (2%), dense vegetation (3%), and electric fence (1%). About 412.3 acres of maize (322) and beans (39.5) were damaged by wildlife, mostly at night and mainly during the wet season (82%) than the dry season (18%), but the Kruskal-Wallis test established no significant differences in time for crop raids (H (4) =4, P=.406). Additionally, 1596 livestock comprising goats (44%, 703), cattle (23%, 277), shoat (15%, 330), sheep (13%, 253), and donkeys (4%, 33) were attacked. Though there was no significant difference in the temporal pattern of predation (H (2) = 2, p = .406), interview results indicated that most predation species occurred at night (37%) than daytime (20%). It was recommended separate water sources for both wildlife and humans to avoid HWC occurring at shared watering points, grow alternative crops least preferable to wildlife, strengthen the livestock bomas with either live fence and use of chain link wire as well use of night guarding with the aid of watch tower equipped with powerful torches are some of the mitigation measures. Keywords: Eduimet WMA, Human-wildlife conflicts, livestock predation, seasonality in crop damages.

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