Community Based Human-Elephant Conflict Mitigation Project: Attitudes Of The Local Community Towards Elephant Conservation

Mara ecosystem supports a refuge of elephant population which has caused conflict with the local people as a result of introduction of crop farming. Crop damage by elephant reduced local tolerance towards elephants leading to negative attitudes and perceptions. A research project was started by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE) to mitigate conflict. However, the impact of the project on the local community towards elephants has never been assessed. This study aimed at assessing whether the attitudes and perceptions of the Transmara (TM) community towards elephant conservation have changed following the establishment of the human-elephant conflict mitigation project. The results indicated that attitudes and perceptions of the respondents towards elephant conservation have improved in recent years. Moreover, the respondents had positive attitude towards WWF elephant mitigation project in TM District. Community-based tourism development was also considered as one of the ways that could be used to reduce conflict. In conclusion, the study reveals the importance of project evaluation as a measure of project success.

George Ariya, BTM; MTM at Moi University. Analyst at a Commercial Bank in Nairobi, Kenya