Human settlement in protected areas (PAs) is a major conservation concern in developing nations as it fuels human-wildlife conflicts (HWCs). The objectives of this study were to (i) determine the key wildlife species causing conflict, (ii) assess the perceptions of residents toward the major causes of conflict with wildlife, and (iii) evaluate the attitudes of residents toward problem animals. We conducted face-to-face semistructured interviews and two reconnaissance field surveys with 290 respondents residing in Save Valley Conservancy (SVC), in Southeast Lowveld Zimbabwe from January 2014 to June 2014. Results showed that lions (Panthera leo), spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta), elephants (Loxodonta africana), and Nile crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus) were the major animals involved in the conflict. Our results also showed that the land-use change from wildlife ranching to farming and contested land ownership were perceived as the major causes of HWCs. Respondents who had lived in the area longer were more likely to agree that change in land use (Ordinal logistic regression: B = 1.32, Odds Ratio (OR) = 3.74) and contested land ownership (B = .67, OR = 1.95) were major sources of conflict. In addition, increased encounters between people and wildlife triggered mixed attitudes toward problem animals. For example, males were less likely to have a negative attitude toward problem animals compared to females (Multinomial logistic regression: B = -1.39; OR = .25). Residents who had stayed for less than five years were more likely to have a negative attitude toward problem animals than those who had stayed longer (B = 3.6; OR = 36.71). These results suggest that there is a need to relook at the resettlement pattern because coordinating HWCs and implementing sustainable conservation objectives are easy in a well-planned settlement. Stakeholders need to come together and create awareness of the use of HWCs mitigations measures.

Sostina Jaravani

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