Girma-Eshete-Jenbere-thesis - Ethiopian Wolf Conservation ...

Gedel has abundant giant lobelias (800 to 2500) plants per hectare (Saavedra, 2009). The human
impact is lower at the highest altitudes, where as large areas of the middle and lower altitudinal
belts are highly modified.
Studies of vegetation parameters and environmental factors in association with Ethiopian wolf
prey in Mt. Abune Yoseph has multiple purposes, complements previous studies on rodents, help
to sustain food chain among vegetation, rodents and wolf along with attempting to lay
foundation to facilitate the conservation of endemic flora and fauna of this isolated mountain
range considering the various stakeholders involved.
2.4. Community perception and attitude towards Afro-alpine ecosystem
In Africa, the attitudes and perceptions of local communities towards wildlife and areas of
important wildlife habitat has been positive historically (Lewis et al., 1990; Newmank et al.,
1993; Siachoono, 1995). A positive attitude among local communities is essential for successful
wildlife conservation programmes, since wildlife provides physical, emotional, intellectual,
economic and spiritual benefit to human development and well being (Kellert, 1985). An
approach that focuses more on protecting resources by disregarding the needs and interests of the
local resource users is bound to fail (Lewis et al., 1990). The most appealing alternative
approach is to establish agreements, co-operation, partnerships and the equitable distribution of
benefits between communities living in areas with valuable natural resources, or areas adjacent
to the protected areas, and the conservation authority (IIED, 1994). In addition negative attitudes
in recent years have been compounded with potential threats posed by wildlife to economically
important livestock, huntable wildlife and to other forms of land use (Kellert et al., 1996; Bauer,
2003).
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