Abstract
People who perceive economic benefits and enjoy unrestricted access to natural resources tend to support ecosystem conservation efforts. Our study explores whether this remains true in remnant patches of Afroalpine ecosystem in North Ethiopia, where communal land provides valuable natural resources for the local communities and also sustain small populations of the endangered Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis). Questionnaires were designed to assess ecological and socio-economic characteristics of the livelihoods of the Amhara people living in Mount Abune Yosef and their attitudes toward Afroalpine and Ethiopian wolf conservation. Of the 120 households interviewed, selected randomly from across eight villages, 80 % benefited from natural resources by grazing their livestock and harvesting firewood and grasses. The majority (90 %) also suffered from livestock predation by Ethiopian wolves and common jackals (Canis aureus) and crop raiding by geladas (Theropithecus gelada), birds, and rodents, yet more than half reported a positive attitudes toward Ethiopian wolves (66 %). People with positive attitudes tended to live close to the communal land, to own more livestock, and to be unaffected by conflict. Many also recognized the need to protect the Afroalpine habitats of Abune Yosef (71 %), and this attitude predominated among the literate, households that owned land, had smaller herds and were further away. We discussed how people’s attitudes were modulated by human-wildlife conflicts and by the benefits derived from the access to natural resources in communal land, and the implications for the conservation of Afroalpine ecosystem and the flagship Ethiopian wolf.
Highlights
People who perceive economic benefits and enjoy unrestricted access to natural resources are expected to be supportive of ecosystem conservation efforts (Kellert 1985; Bruner et al 2001; Walpole and Goodwin 2001; Wang and Macdonald 2006)
Our study explores whether this remains true in remnant patches of Afroalpine ecosystem in North Ethiopia, where communal land provides valuable natural resources for the local communities and sustain small populations of the endangered Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis)
The majority (90 %) suffered from livestock predation by Ethiopian wolves and common jackals (Canis aureus) and crop raiding by geladas (Theropithecus gelada), birds, and rodents, yet more than half reported a positive attitudes toward Ethiopian wolves (66 %)
Summary
People who perceive economic benefits and enjoy unrestricted access to natural resources are expected to be supportive of ecosystem conservation efforts (Kellert 1985; Bruner et al 2001; Walpole and Goodwin 2001; Wang and Macdonald 2006). The communal land in Mount Abune Yosef, North Wollo, is a good example of a high-biodiversity Afroalpine remnant which is critically important for the Amhara people and for Ethiopian wolves alike (Ash 2001; Marino 2003) In such a setting, people’s attitudes toward conservation can have important consequences for the survival of wolves and other highland endemics, and for the long-term sustainability of traditional livelihoods. If the economic consequences of these conflicts are significant for the local farmers, negative attitudes toward conservation might arise (Treves and Karanth 2003; Yirga et al 2012; Winterbach et al 2013) To test this hypothesis, we conducted semistructured interviews to generate qualitative and quantitative information about local livelihoods and wildlife conflicts in Mount Abune Yosef, taking into account the benefits derived from access to natural resources in communal land and how these affect people’s attitudes and tolerance toward wildlife
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
