Human-Wildlife Conflict In Murchison Falls National Park In Uganda: A Proposed Management Development Programme

ABSTRACT

The title of the research was ‘Human-wildlife conflict management in Murchison

Falls National Park in Uganda: A proposed management development program’.

The purpose of the research was help management of Murchison Falls National

park to improve its performance in wildlife conflicts management and hence

harmonize community —park relations.

The overall objective of the research was to investigate the relationship

between the extent of wildlife conflicts and the level of staff performance in

Murchison Falls National Park.

Specific objectives included, (1) To determine the demographic profiles of

respondents; (2) To establish the level of staff performance; (3) To determine

the extent of wildlife conflicts and (4)To determine if there was significant

relationship between the level of staff performance and the extent of the

wildlife conflicts.

The study found out that the level of staff performance was just not good due

to minimal management priority attached to wildlife conflicts management

The extent of wildlife conflicts was high due to poor performance of staff and

poor relationship between staff and community.

A regression concluded that there was a relationship between staff

performance and the extent of wildlife conflict.

The need based theory in conflict management, to which the study was based

was proved true because wildlife needed resources (food) on private land,

hence causing conflicts to people outside the protected area.

The management of Murchison Falls National Park should improve its priority,

preparedness and response to reported and un reported problem animal cases.

By priority, managers should increase the morale and motivation of responsible

staff and also make the program as a one of the daily activities and hence plan

for it every day. Enough staff should be recruited; oriented and trained se~

aside on standby to attend to reported conflicts than looking for staff to deploy

after conflict has already been reported. In response, the staff needed to

respond urgently to all reported cases, and foil some of these cases before

damages have been made.

Wildlife conflict management should be taken as an adaptive management

process that should among others include; information gathering, setting

options, objectives, implementation of the options and monitoring impacts.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Declaration A

Declaration B

Approval sheet Hi

Dedication iv

Acknowledgement v

Abstract vi

Table of contents vH

List of tables ix

List of figures x

Acronyms xi

Chapter

One THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

Back ground of the study 1

Statement of the Problem 3

Purpose of the Study 3

Research objectives 4

Research questions 4

Hypothesis 5

Scope S

Conceptual framework 6

Significance of the Study 7

Operational definition of the key terms 7

vii

Two REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Concepts, ideas from other authors 9

Theoretical perspectives 10

Related studies 10

Three METHODOLOGY

Research design 20

Research population 20

Sample size 21

Sampling procedure 22

Research instruments 22

Validity and reliability of the instrument 23

Data gathering procedures 23

Data analysis 24

Ethical considerations 25

Limitations to the study 26

Four PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND

INTERPRETATION OF DATA 27

Five FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS,

RECOMMENDATIONS

Findings 36

Conclusions 37

Recommendations 38

Bibliography 41

Appendices 44