Human - Large Carnivore Conflicts In Communities Adjacent To Tarangire National Park, Tanzania

ABSTRACT 

In 2018, between February and June we conducted a study on HLCC around Tarangire NP and observed that agricultural development activities and human population growth have destructed suitable habitats previously occupied by wildlife. This situation had intensified HLCC in sub- Saharan Africa as a result carnivores population is declining due to human revenges for livestock depredated and human attacked. In Tanzania, HWC have been well documented especially in Serengeti NP and Selous GR, but less documented to Tarangire NP where Maasai pastoralists and lions conflicts are usually observed. This study explored the causes, impact and mitigation measures of HLCC around Tarangire NP, taking into consideration the recent events of human killing and eating by lions. Data analysis was performed by using SPSS software, where Descriptive statistics were calculated in percentages and inferentially only non-parametric tests (Kruskal -Wallis Test and Spearman correlation) were performed. Results were summarized as Table, Figures and Plates and for all tests probability less than 0.05 (p < 0.05) was considered to be significant. The challenging carnivore specie were spotted hyenas, lions, cheetahs and wild dogs and the number of livestock depredated and retaliatory killed predator was not significantly related at p - value >0.05, while that of livestock depredated and killed by diseases was significantly related at p - value< 0.05. However, guarding, enclosures (bomas),  hunting as well as pasture location and structure are used by pastoralists to prevent predator attack, but they are still challenged by predators and even compensations is inadequate and they use poor technology in constructing their bomas. The study recommended that pastoralists should be trained and enforced to construct predator proof bomas,  given preventive awareness education not only that but also rapid human population growth must be limited for long term  so as to overcome HWC.