Perception of Somali pastoralists in Adadle woreda, Eastern Ethiopia, towards wildlife at the human-animal interface, conservation and wildlife population change

Pastoralists and wildlife co-exist in the Somali Regional State competing for habitat, food and water resources. A questionnaire survey conducted among 198 pastoralists, captured information on their perception of wildlife against the backdrop of wildlife population decrease, illegal wildlife trade and lack of quantitative and qualitative data in the area. The top perceived threats to livestock were drought (46%), wildlife attacks (33.8%) and diseases (20.2%). Daily encounters between wildlife and livestock were reported by 61.1% of respondents. Herbivores, including warthogs, accounted for the majority of these encounters (88.4%), whereas carnivores were rarely observed with livestock, except for jackals. The majority (92.9%) of the respondents did not think that wildlife could transmit diseases to livestock. Jackals were reported by 7.1% to transmit rabies. A strong dislike for wildlife was recorded in 99% of all respondents. All stated that wildlife should not be protected. Half of the respondents did not see any benefits in wildlife. Wildlife populations have decreased over the last 10 years, particularly lions and cheetahs. Pastoralist's attitudes and perceptions towards wildlife in the study area were negative, potentially affecting conservation efforts. There is an urgent need to improve awareness of the benefits of wildlife and to include wildlife in integrated human-livestock-environment surveillance systems.