Premium
Human–hamadryas baboon ( Papio hamadryas ) conflict in the Wonchit Valley, South Wollo, Ethiopia
Author(s) -
Kifle Zewdu,
Bekele Afework
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
african journal of ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.499
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1365-2028
pISSN - 0141-6707
DOI - 10.1111/aje.12816
Subject(s) - baboon , livestock , geography , human–wildlife conflict , biology , socioeconomics , ecology , sociology , wildlife
Understanding the extent of human–primate conflict is crucial to the development of conservation and management strategies. We carried out this study in an unprotected area of central Ethiopia to examine the magnitude of human–hamadryas baboon ( Papio hamadryas ) conflict and to assess the attitude of local farmers towards baboons in Wonchit Valley. In 2014, we interviewed 119 adult respondents using a structured questionnaire. Local farmers considered hamadryas baboons to be the major pest in the area. All respondents reported that hamadryas baboons caused crop raiding and small livestock predation in the region. Respondents reported that a shortage of fruit producing wild trees and ready availability of crops were the main causes of conflict between farmers and hamadryas baboons. We found that hamadryas baboons damaged cereal crops at dusk and dawn during full moonlight, and most (89.9%) respondents claimed that they were not interested in hamadryas baboon conservation. Our results indicate that human–hamadryas baboon conflict has a strongly negative impact on both baboon conservation and local farmers. We suggest that to mitigate the human–hamadryas baboon conflict, job opportunities such as beekeeping should be introduced in the region.