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Browsing College of Natural and Applied Sciences by Subject ", South- Eastern Selous Game Reserve"

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    The influence of climate change and variability on human-wildlife conflicts a case of South-Eastern selous game reserve in Liwale district
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2015) Msaki, Jackson
    This study explored the influence of climate change and variability on human-wildlife conflicts in villages surrounding South-eastern SGR in Liwale District. Data were collected using semi-structured questionnaires, interviews, focus group discussion, field observations, and through reviewing reports and publications. Three villages were randomly selected for study. A sample of 120 households was randomly selected to represent the entire population. Data were analyzed using Microsoft Office Excel 2007 and Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) software version 16.0. Tables, graphs, bar charts and pie charts were used to present different variables. Correlation test were undertaken to find correlation coefficient and correlation of determination between different variables. It was found that crop damage by wild animals, human death and injuries and livestock depredation were the major types of human-wildlife conflicts in the study area. However, crop damage was found to be more prevalent because all villagers carry out shifting crop farming as the main economic activity. Elephants, bush pigs, hippopotamus, baboons and buffaloes were found to be animals which are frequently involved in crop damage whereas lions, elephants, leopards and hyenas were identified to be responsible for human death/injuries and livestock predation. These conflicts are more frequent during the wet season when the crops attain maturity. Also during the wet season herbivores become widely distributed which automatically changes the distribution of carnivores which often opt for an easy prey such as livestock and occasionally attack people. It was also found that the impacts of climate change and variability has already affected the livelihood of the people in the study area. There is a variation of annual mean temperature (M=21.2, SD=0.5) and annual mean rainfall (M = 88.6, SD = 22.02) within the past 32 years. The area has been affected by unpredictable rainfall and prolonged dry spells beyond normal patterns. Climate change and variability apart from decreasing agricultural yield it has also affected the distribution of wild animals and increased human-wildlife interactions and hence conflicts. It was reported by 61% of the respondents that abnormal dry periods, increase of crop damage by wild animals and changes of rainfall patterns have contributed to the decrease of their agricultural yield. However it was found that there was a negative correlation between crop damage and the mean annual rainfall (r = -0.2) which suggest that as the amount of the rainfall is reduced the incidences of crop damage by wild animals increases. Also there was a positive correlation between crop damage and changes of maximum annual temperature (r = 0.1) which suggest that the increase of annual mean temperature increases the incidences of crop damage by wildlife. A combination of impacts of shifting cultivation, human population growth and climate change and variability has exacerbated human-wildlife conflicts in the study area. It is recommended that the local people living close to Selous are educated on the impacts of climate change on their livelihoods and on the conservation of wildlife resources.