Assessment of Attitude and Perception of Local Community toward Protected Area: The Case of Senkele Swayne’s Hartebeest Sanctuary, South Eastern Ethiopia

Abstract

The study on the attitude and perception of local community toward protected area was carried out in Senkele Swayne’s Hartebeest Sanctuary (SSHS). Primary data was collected through questionnaire survey, key informant interview, focus group discussions and direct field observations. Secondary data were collected through review of literature (activity reports, journal, articles etc). Out of the 32 rural kebeles found in the Siraro district, four kebeles surrounding the sanctuary were purposively selected for the study. Primary data collection involved 151 households for questionnaire survey, 40 discussants for Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and 12 interviewee for Key Informant Interview (KII) (10 experts from the district offices that have been interacting with SSHS in one way or another and two men recognized by the local communities as leaders (Aba Gada) according to the Oromo Gada system in the study area). The analysis of the data revealed that local community have a positive attitude toward the Sanctuary where as they have negative attitude toward sanctuary management system. Local communities have no smooth relation with SSHS staff. This is due to control of access to sanctuary particularly for grazing and the SSHS management didn’t care about the interest of the community. Therefore, if the current situation is not reversed, the Sanctuary will not sustain.

Keywords/ phrases: Aba Geda, attitude, Community, Senkele Swayne’s Hartebeest Sanctuary, protected area.