Assessing Perception Animals Conservation in Semen Mountain National P and Practices of Local People towards Wild Conservation in Semen Mountain National Park es of Local People towards Wild ark, Ethiopia

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to assess perception and practices of the local people towards wild life conservation in Semen Mountain National Park in North Gondar Administrative Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia. Convergent research design was taken as an appropriate research design since the study used mixed data from quantitative and qualitative sources. This study used a mixed research approach by which both qualitative and quantitative research approaches were applied. Debark Janamora and Adiarqay woredas from North Gondar Zone were selected using purposive sampling technique and included in the study where the study was conducted in six kebeles, two from each the three woredas. 344 households participated in the study. Data to the study were gathered using survey questionnaires and interview. Data were analyzed using quantitative and qualitative data analysis techniques. The results indicated that most of the respondents were well aware of the importance of caring wild animals and protecting them. The households thought that conservation of wildlife is benefiting the local people through providing food, through tourist attraction and in keeping environmental balance. Through this they indicated that money can be obtained; and, some animals eat pests so that their crops would be protected from damage. The respondents in all were positive in their perception towards protecting their surrounding environment and the wild animals. On the other hand, more numbers of the households haven’t taken awareness raising training on the conservation of wildlife in the locality. It was found that wildlife conservation strategies that are being taken in the locality currently are not positively felt by most of the households. It was also found that measures of protecting illegal hunting; and integrating development and conservation practices were not effectively considered. Of course, there were some factors that are affecting the practices of wild-animals conservation like increasing population of indigenous forest dwellers; increases in human population density; new settlements; expansion of agricultural lands to the forest; grazing; loss of sense of ownership of land; transport infrastructures like construction of road; lack of adequate attention by the government; lack of legal frameworks; and insufficient financial and material resources for law enforcing personnel are all significant factors of affecting the practices of wild-animals conservation.