Abstract:
This study was conducted to assess human wildlife conflict and its challenges on
conservation in, and around Laga Korma forest. Human-wildlife conflict is a serious problem
in Ethiopia especially in situation of those who share the immediate boundaries with forest.
The data was collected by questionnaire, interview, focus group discussion, and direct
observations from July 2022 to May 2023. Cross-sectional study design was used to assess
human–wildlife conflict and its challenges on conservation. A total of 124 household heads
were selected using systematic random sampling techniques. Data was analyzed using
Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) for descriptive Statistics, and represented by
frequency, and percentage. The results show the existence of human -wildlife conflict
manifested via crop damage and livestock depredation by wild life, and wildlife killed by
human being. All crops were not equally affected by crop raiders. Majority of the
respondents or 46(37.1%) of the respondents claimed that maize was the most preferred crop
to wildlife and only 9(7.3%) of the respondents claimed that coffee was the most preferred
crop to wildlife. A total of 124 domestic animals were depredated from the six villages in last
one year (2022). Chicken were the most frequently attacked domestic animals 40 (32.3%)
compared to sheep 33(26.6%), goat 24(19.4%), Cow 16(12.9%), and donkey 11(8.9%). The
highest 33% percent of respondents reported that increased subsistence agriculture as the
causes of human wildlife conflict, and only, 8.9% of respondents reported increased wildlife
population, as causes of human wildlife conflict. Generally the results of this study show that
the wildlife in the study area affects the livelihood of local communities in different ways.
Humans also affected wildlife in many ways, through habitat loss, overexploitation of
resource, and, causing climatic change. Therefore, based on the findings of this study, it is
recommended farmers should cooperatively keep their farm against crop raiders to minimize
crop loss by using most effective method in the study area. Illegal human settlements around
the forest, expansion of farmland and cattle grazing in the habitat of wildlife should be
controlled and mitigated by concerned stakeholders.
