Determinants of locals’ perceptions of elephant crop raiding and support for conservation in two distinct protected areas in Tanzania

Abstract

Globally, human-wildlife interactions represent complex circumstances arising from the intersecting needs of wildlife and humans. The research occurred in eight villages adjacent to Lake Manyara National Park (LMNP) and the Swagaswaga Game Reserve (SGR) in Tanzania. The primary objective of this study was to assess how various socio-demographic and contextual factors affected perceptions of elephant crop raiding, perceived changes in the frequency of elephant crop raiding over the last 5 years, and support for elephant conservation. A closed-end questionnaire was distributed to 240 households (30 households per village) between March, 2022 and April, 2023. Generalized Linear Mixed Model (GLMM) was used, applying ordinal probit and ordinal logistic regression analyses to explore the relationships between socio-demographic factors and respondents' perceptions of elephant crop raiding over the last 5 years. Additionally, a binomial regression was used to assess the likelihood of respondents supporting elephant conservation. The type of protected area showed a significant negative relationship with the likelihood of supporting elephant conservation, with a coefficient of − 2.867 (p < 0.001). Other significant factors include village location (p = 0.002), education level (p = 0.002), and age group (p = 0.003). These findings highlight the need for tailored conservation strategies that address local community concerns while promoting sustainable wildlife management. Therefore, addressing these socio-demographic and contextual factors is critical for fostering sustainable conservation efforts and ensuring the coexistence of humans and wildlife in areas adjacent to protected areas.