Local Attitudes and Perceptions Toward Large Carnivores in a Human-Dominated Landscape of Northern Tanzania

ABSTRACT

We conducted 300 semi-structured interviews with local people adjacent to Tarangire National Park, northern Tanzania, to determine their attitudes and perceptions toward large carnivores. We analyzed the relationships between attitudes and age, gender, education, occupation, years at residence, income, distance from protected area, livestock owned, livestock lost to predators and knowledge of carnivores. Three-quarters of respondents (79%) held negative attitudes toward large carnivores, while 20% were generally positive. Three variables were positively associated with attitudes towards different species: formal education (all carnivore species), years at residence (lions and cheetahs), and knowledge of carnivores (cheetahs). Attitudes toward large carnivores were not significantly related to distance from protected area, livestock owned. or livestock lost to predators. Findings suggested that interventions aimed at fostering positive attitudes toward large carnivores should focus on improving formal education and securing long-term residency for people in the region.

KEYWORDS:

• Attitudes
• large carnivores
• local people
• perceptions
• Tarangire National Park

Acknowledgments

We also thank the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH), Tanzania National Parks authority (TANAPA), Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI), and Simanjiro District Council authority for granting us the research permits to conduct this study and the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology for institutional support. We thank two anonymous reviewers, whose comments improved the manuscript. We also acknowledge S. Leposo for his invaluable assistance in conducting the interviews and local communities where this research took place for their time and invaluable information. The research was cleared by the Tanzanian authorities. The Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology reviewed and approved the research protocol (Ref. # 2014-370-NA-97-20). This research also underwent clearance and approval by the Joint Management Research Committee (JMRC) and Research Program Committee (RPC) of the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute. Verbal Informed Consent was obtained from all the subjects prior to participation and data were kept anonymously.

Funding

We thank the St. Louis Zoo’s Wildcare Institute, the Wildlife Conservation Society and Zoological Society of London for funding this research.

Additional information

Funding

We thank the St. Louis Zoo’s Wildcare Institute, the Wildlife Conservation Society and Zoological Society of London for funding this research.