In the northern highlands of Ethiopia, the peaceful coexistence between people and the rare Ethiopian wolf Canis simensis might be challenged, as competition for land and natural resources increases. Ethiopian wolves are... [ view full abstract ]
In the northern highlands of Ethiopia, the peaceful coexistence between people and the rare Ethiopian wolf Canis simensis might be challenged, as competition for land and natural resources increases. Ethiopian wolves are supreme hunters of the rodents that abound in the Afroalpine ecosystem, but they can also kill sheep and goats, particularly in areas degraded by grazing. Recent studies across four Afroalpine areas explored livestock predation by wolves through dietary studies and interviews, assessing the extent and socio-economic context of emerging conflicts. Analyses of prey remains in 118 and 47 feces representing wolf populations in Borena Sayint National Park (BSNP) and Delanta respectively, confirmed that rodents were the most common prey item, but the relative frequency of occurrence of livestock remains 5.4% and 3.6 %, indicating a relative important biomass contribution. Of a total of 717 household interviewed in BSNP, Delanta, Abune Yosef and Aboi Gara, between 17 and 50% reported losing livestock to Ethiopian wolves, the second predator of livestock after golden jackals (Canis aureus). Livestock losses were higher among households with larger herds, living closer to Afroalpine habitats, and grazing their livestock in highlands grasslands all year round. This level of livestock predation has significant costs for the economy of local household, depending on subsistence agriculture and small herds. For example, the households affected in Aboi Gara lost 1.2 heads per year, representing 10% of the average herd size and equivalent to 92 USD. While most people also reported having a positive attitudes towards the charismatic Ethiopian wolf, negative views were common among the most households most seriously affected, the illiterate and those with more restricted access to Afroalpine natural resources. For example, only 17% of households in BSNP lost livestock to Ethiopian wolves, but 88% of these had a negative perception of the species, compared with 9% of the households unaffected. The evidence indicate emerging conflicts between wolves and people in the highlands of Ethiopia, which could easily lead to widespread negative attitudes if conservationists and wildlife authorities do not interfere, for example by promoting more effective guarding techniques when herds are taking into the mountains.
