Do Wildlife Management Areas Help to Mitigate Negative Human-Wildlife Interactions? A Case of Eastern Bufferzone of Selous Game Reserve,Tanzania

Abstract

Background and Research Aims: Negative interactions with wildlife hinder biodiversity conservation, and attempts to devolve wildlife management to local communities near protected areas have had limited success. This study applied Citizen Science Theory (CST) as a bottom-up approach to examine the role of Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) in reducing human-wildlife conflicts in the eastern buffer zone of the Selous Game Reserve. Methods: Data were collected from 240 households through surveys, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. Qualitative data were analyzed via content analysis, while quantitative data were processed using SPSS version 26. Results: Following the establishment of WMAs, 67.5% and 83% of respondents reported decreases in illegal wildlife offtake and habitat destruction, respectively. However, incidents of crop damage, livestock predation, and human attacks caused by wild animals increased by 28.6%, 40.6%, and 79.2%, respectively. Regarding interaction patterns, annual crop damage was higher near WMAs, averaging 7.2±0.1 acres, compared to 0.6±0.1 acres in areas farther away. Similarly, approximately 83 livestock were attacked within 500 meters of WMA boundaries, while only 11 livestock were attacked beyond 30 kilometers. About 72% of respondents indicated that human attacks occurred primarily during farming activities, with lions, leopards, hyenas, crocodiles, elephants, buffalo, and hippopotamuses identified as the responsible species. Conclusion: We concluded that the expansion of wildlife habitats through a community-based conservation approach increased wildlife populations; however, it also heightened the challenges posed by wild animals to local communities. Implications for conservation: WMAs inception is paramount to wildlife conservation particularly those requiring large home ranges. Enhancing wildlife control by encouraging local monitoring, using sound and odor deterrents, and promoting public education on safely interacting with wild animals, strengthening traditional enclosures using predator-proof materials such as thorny bushes or modern steel fences to reduce nighttime attacks, should be prioritized to mitigate negative interactions with wildlife.