Afework Bekele

Human-wildlife Conflict in the Simien Mountains National Park: the Case of Ethiopian Wolf and Gelada Baboon Afework Bekele

Naturally, organisms live together in an ecosystem for a long period of time. However, when humans entered this system, the natural phenomena become altered. Wildlife and people can dwell harmoniously if and only if the animals feel safe from human threat and if animals are not causing damage to humans. Conflicts between human and wildlife populations are emerging as a major conservation issue worldwide. Human-wildlife conflict affects species, particularly large mammals. Due to such conflict, most are either critically endangered or declining rapidly. One major cause for human-wildlife conflict is increasing human population adjacent to the protected area. As human population increases and the demand for resources grow, the frequency and intensity of conflicts between protected areas and local people will increase. Therefore, this book provides information of the degree of conflict existing between wildlife and local people in the Simien Mountains National Park with special emphasis on the Ethiopian wolf and gelada baboon. Site specific knowledge is suitable to mitigate conflict in a particular area. Then, the development of practical tools and techniques are required to implement