Study on Human–elephant (Loxodonta africana,Blumenbach, 1797) conflict, prevention and mitigation in Babile Elephant Sanctuary, Eastern Ethiopia

Abstract

The focus of this paper is to study the Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC), Prevention, Mitigation methods in Babile Elephant Sanctuary, Eastern Ethiopia. Purposive and random sampling methods were used for primary data collection. Accordingly, a total of 138 Households were selected from four Peasant Associations that were close to the sanctuary for interview. Moreover, Focus group discussion, site observations, and secondary data of the last five years (2016-2020) related to HEC. The result showed, 87.7% of respondents thought that crop-raiding by elephants and 85% of them viewed, death of 16 elephants by humans were the cause for conflict. Above 54.3% and 37.7% of them also thought as 22 human and 24 livestock died respectively. Besides, 27% of them indicated, 647.32 quintal of Zea mays (31.27 %) and Sorghum bicolor (46.22%) costing, 67,107.2 ETB-Ethiopian Birr (out of 87,657.27 ETB or 2,369.62 USD) were lost. However, all (100%) of them thought that there was no compensation given for the lost crops. Visual signals (setting fire and lighting torches) and shouting and hitting metal objects (acoustic methods) were used as a major mitigation measure. While beehives fences and digging trenches were identified as minor preventive measures. Based on the study results, the following inference is drawn: identifying and documenting the existence of HEC information to build the knowledge gaps on areas where these challenges prevails and implementing various measures of technical(biological and physical methods: farming of cash crops which is less attractive to elephants, fencing), socio-economic (building community owner ship and educational programs to school, benefit community by employee in development works),and financial strategy set up (compensation losses and revenue sharing) are crucial methods to reducing conflict and co-exiting human and elephant.