Coping with local peoples' livelihood dependence on the transboundary Dinder–Alatish National Parks in Sudan and Ethiopia from the Sudanese Perspective

Abstract

The local peoples’ dependence on Dinder National Park, Sudan, for their livelihoods and economic and conservation implications of the livelihood activities were analyzed. Our study attempted to answer major questions about the main livelihood strategies, their economic and conservation implications as well as the perceptions of local people and park administration on the use and management of the park and cooperation for TBPA management. A mixed research method was employed in this study in data collection Households’ livelihood strategies are ranked according to their share in households’ total income. Accordingly, 92% of respondents ranked agriculture as a primary source of livelihood in the rank 1 category, and 33% of respondents ranked livestock rearing as the primary source in the rank 2 category important source of livelihood. The ranking of second and third options varied across both households and villages. Households collect forest products to supplement their livelihoods and the collection of other environmental goods is irregular and difficult to quantify. Further human activities in the area are compiled from different publication and annual reports. Agricultural expansion into the park and livestock trespassing are the major threats to Dinder and neighboring Alatish National Park. A cooperative transboundary response will be helpful to cope with these challenges.

The role of Dodola Community Conservation Area for large mammal conservation, Ethiopia

“…Surveys of large wild mammals were carried out during early morning hours (6:00 to 10:00 a.m.) and late afternoon hours (3:00 to 5:00 p.m.), when most mammals were more active [ 17 , 19 , 26 , 30 ]. Sampling was done for a total of forty days, twenty days in each wet and dry season.…”

“…The Ethiopian wildlife conservation approach has been predominantly a top-down approach in that wildlife conservation is exclusively carried out by wildlife authorities with little or no participation of the local communities [ 14 , 17 , 18 ]. This has led to the development of a negative attitude towards wildlife resource conservation, which in turn has caused wildlife population decline and habitat degradation, fragmentation, and loss [ 19 – 21 ].…”

The role of Dodola Community Conservation Area for large mammals conservation, Ethiopia.

“…During the wet season, rstly because of abundant rainfall there were better food, cover, and water sources than in the dry season [5,44]. Similar Studies elsewhere in a different part of Ethiopia have revealed that species diversity is often high in areas where there are su cient foods, water, cover, and space [11,25,26,41]. Similar literature such as [18,26] states that the habitats of the mammals refer to the vegetation composition, oristic and structural of the area as a product of various factors such as climate, geology, and soil.…”