Browsing by Author "Nyahongo, Julius"

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    Awareness of urban communities on biodiversity conservation in Tanzania’s protected areas
    (Elsevier, 2022) Ulimboka, Rehema; Mbise, Franco P.; Nyahongo, Julius; Røskaft, Eivin
    This study used semi-structured interviews in two cities, Dodoma and Arusha, in Tanzania, to assess the difference in people’s conservation awareness between the two cities. Our results revealed that urban people were generally positive towards most statements related to biodiversity conservation in protected areas, and in a few cases, variations between people from different occupations and education levels were significant. For instance, 87% (n = 376) of our respondents agreed with the statement "The knowledge obtained through conservation education is very important in changing our attitude towards protected areas," as well as 71% (n = 376) of our respondents agreed with the statement that "It is important to involve school children in conservation education." We predicted that people in Arusha would be more positive toward all six conservation statements than people in Dodoma (the capital city) because Arusha is close to many protected areas and is a tourist hub. We also predicted that people in Arusha would have more knowledge and awareness of biodiversity conservation than those in Dodoma. However, this prediction was not supported as people from Dodoma were significantly more positive than people from Arusha. This indicates that people in Dodoma are more concerned about biodiversity conservation than people in Arusha. This variation might be influenced by the costs associated with conservation, as people in urban Dodoma live far from conservation challenges such as livestock depredation and/or crop raiding compared to people in urban Arusha.
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    Awareness of urban communities on biodiversity conservation in Tanzania’s protected areas.
    (Elsevier, 2022) Ulimboka, Rehema; Mbise, Franco P.; Nyahongo, Julius; Røskaft, Eivin
    This study used semi-structured interviews in two cities, Dodoma and Arusha, in Tanzania, to assess the difference in people’s conservation awareness between the two cities. Our results revealed that urban people were generally positive towards most statements related to biodiversity conservation in protected areas, and in a few cases, variations between people from different occupations and education levels were significant. For instance, 87% (n = 376) of our respondents agreed with the statement "The knowledge obtained through conservation education is very important in changing our attitude towards protected areas," as well as 71% (n = 376) of our respondents agreed with the statement that "It is important to involve school children in conservation education." We predicted that people in Arusha would be more positive toward all six conservation statements than people in Dodoma (the capital city) because Arusha is close to many protected areas and is a tourist hub. We also predicted that people in Arusha would have more knowledge and awareness of biodiversity conservation than those in Dodoma. However, this prediction was not supported as people from Dodoma were significantly more positive than people from Arusha. This indicates that people in Dodoma are more concerned about biodiversity conservation than people in Arusha. This variation might be influenced by the costs associated with conservation, as people in urban Dodoma live far from conservation challenges such as livestock depredation and/or crop raiding compared to people in urban Arusha.
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    Developing fencing policies for dryland ecosystems
    (British Ecological Society, 2015) Durant, Sarah M.; Becker, Matthew S.; Creel, Scott; Bashir, Sultana; Dickman, Amy J.; Beudels-Jamar, Roseline C.; Lichtenfeld, Laly; Hilborn, Ray; Wall, Jake; Wittemyer, George; Badamja, Lkhagvasuren; Blake, Stephen; Boitani, Luigi; Breitenmoser, Christine; Broekhuis, Femke; Christianson, David; Cozzi, Gabriele; Davenport, Tim R. B.; Deutsch, James; Devillers, Pierre; Dollar, Luke; Dolrenry, Stephanie; Douglas-Hamilton, Iain; Dr€oge, Egil; FitzHerbert, Emily; Foley, Charles; Hazzah, Leela; Hopcraft, Grant C.; Ikanda, Dennis; Jacobson, Andrew; Joubert, Dereck; Kelly, Marcella J.; Milanzi, James; Mitchell, Nicholas; M’Soka, Jassiel; Msuha, Maurus; Mweetwa, Thandiwe; Nyahongo, Julius; Rosenblatt, Elias; Schuette, Paul; Sillero-Zubiri, Claudio; Sinclair, Anthony R. E.; Price, Mark R. Stanley; Zimmermann, Alexandra; Pettorelli, Nathalie
    In dry land ecosystems, mobility is essential for both wildlife and people to access unpredictable and spatially heterogeneous resources, particularly in the face of climate change. Fences can prevent connectivity vital for this mobility. There are recent calls for large-scale barrier fencing interventions to address human–wild life conflict and illegal resource extraction. Fencing has costs and benefits to people and wild life. However, the evidence available for facilitating sound decision-making for fencing initiatives is limited, particularly for dry lands. We identify six research areas that are key to informing evaluations of fencing initiatives: economics, edge permeability, reserve design, connectivity, ecosystem services and communities. Policy implications. Implementing this research agenda to evaluate fencing interventions in dry land ecosystems will enable better management and policy decisions. The United Nations Conventions on Migratory Species (CMS) and to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) are appropriate international agreements for moving this agenda forward and leading the development of policies and guidelines on fencing in dry lands.
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    The impact of crop raiding by wild animals in communities surrounding the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
    (Academic Journals, 2014) Mwakatobe, Angela; Nyahongo, Julius; Ntalwila, Janemary; Røskaft, Eivin
    Crop damage is a serious source of conflict in communities adjacent to protected areas. Data on crop raiding were collected through questionnaires in villages at different distances from the Serengeti National Park in northern Tanzania. Multiple response analyses were used to calculate the frequencies of the types of crops damaged, the levels of crops growth when damaged and the estimated economic losses caused per household. The results indicate that crop raiding differed significantly on farms along a distance gradient from the protected area. Baboons were reported to be the most destructive wild animals, followed by elephants, which were destructive especially in the villages located near the protected area. Wild animals caused significant economic losses for households. We recommend further studies on the crop yield gap caused by crop-raiding wild animals and human-primate conflict in communities around protected areas. For effective protection of crops from wild animals, we recommend that local communities adopt a combination of methods to reduce the levels of crop raiding.
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    Livestock depredation by carnivores in the Serengeti ecosystem, Tanzania
    (Canadian Center of Science and Education, 2013) Røskaft, Eivin; Mwakatobe, Angela; Nyahongo, Julius
    Data for livestock depredation by wild animals were collected in villages outside Serengeti National Park, northern Tanzania. We tested livestock mortality against distance of the villages from the protected area in relation to carnivore species involved, methods used to protect livestock from being depredated and frequency of livestock diseases. The results indicate that distance from the park significantly influenced livestock depredation with the lowest depredation rates in the villages farthest away. Spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) was the most destructive wild animal, followed by small carnivores (including baboons) which were most destructive in the medium and far away villages. Methods used to protect livestock from being depredated differed significantly based on the distance from the protected area. Wild animals cause a significant economic loss to households; however, livestock diseases were the main cause of livestock loss in the study area. The highest frequencies of deaths due to diseases were experienced in villages located closest to the protected area. We recommend that all conservation stakeholders support efforts of local communities to improve their enclosures, and develop education programs to improve their livestock husbandry skills. We also recommend that veterinary units be staffed with well-trained personnel, adequate facilities and substantial operational budgets to enable them to adequately function. Also, not only villagers near protected areas, but also any residents, should be helped by veterinary units. Lastly, we recommend an integrated study on livestock and wildlife diseases and their impact on household economies of the local communities.
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    Livestock loss caused by predators outside the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
    (Elsevier Ltd, 2007) Holmern, Tomas; Nyahongo, Julius; Røskaft, Eivin
    Human–carnivore conflict is a serious management issue often causing opposition towards conservation efforts. In a survey of 481 households in seven different villages outside the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, 67.4% of respondents owned livestock and 27.4% of all the households surveyed reported losses of a total of 4.5% of their livestock to wild predators over 12 months. This loss equated to an average annual financial loss of 19.2% (US $26.8) of their cash income. Livestock depredation was reported to be caused most often by spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) (97.7%), leopard (Panthera pardus) (1.6%), baboon (Papio cynocephalus) (0.4%), lion (Panthera leo) (0.1%) and lastly black-backed jackal (Canis mesomelas) (0.1%). Total reported losses during 2003 amounted to US $12,846 of which spotted hyena kills were reported to account for 98.2%. The mean annual livestock loss per household (of those that reported loss) was 5.3 head of stock, which represents more than two-thirds of the local average annual cash income. Depredation by large felids occurred only in a narrow zone along the protected area (<3 km), whereas spotted hyenas killed livestock even in households located far away (>30 km). Tolerance of livestock depredation among the respondents was low. Logistic regression models indicated that education improved tolerance, while for livestock owners higher depredation rates was linked to approval of lethal retaliation and effective protection measures was associated with a reduced desire of retaliation. We recommend that further research should identify the precise causes of livestock loss and which protection measures that can reduce depredation.
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    Living with problem animals—Self-reported fear of potentially dangerous species in the Serengeti Region, Tanzania
    (Taylor & Francis, 2006) Kaltenborn, Bj⊘rn P.; Bjerke, Tore; Nyahongo, Julius
    We examined the relationship between self-reported fear of large carnivores and the demographic characteristics of villagers living in a rural district adjacent to Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. Data were obtained from 593 respondents living in 8 villages. The intensity of verbally expressed attitudes was heavily dependent on whether the attitude object was of a general or a specific category. Level of self-reported fear was much higher for specific species of large carnivores than for broad verbal categories like concern over safety due to carnivores in general. Women were more afraid than men. The elderly expressed lower fear than other age groups, but only in response to the general category question. Level of fear was positively correlated with educational level. For almost all questions, villagers living further away from the national park expressed more fear than villagers living closer to the park. Fear can influence attitudes toward wildlife. Understanding whether encounters with wildlife are experienced as positive or negative can help in forming management strategies that are effective in reducing human–wildlife conflicts.