Impact of tourist hunting on the livelihoods of local communities around Selous game reserve, Tanzania
Loading...
Date
2011
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
The impact of tourist hunting on livelihoods of local communities was conducted in four
villages namely, Mwaya, Ketaketa, Gombe and Lukande, adjacent to the Western Sector of
Selous Game Reserve (SGR) in Ulanga District, between October 2007 and December 2007.
The overall objective was identifying and assessing the socioeconomic impact of tourist hunting
on the livelihoods of local communities. Survey data were collected using households
questionnaire, focus group discussion and key informants. In addition, participant observation
and secondary data sources were used to supplement information. Statistical Package for Social
Science (SPSS) was used as a method of analysis. The j^-test was used to test variable
association and their dependency levels. This study indicated that, despite the benefits provided
by tourist companies to support local communities in different aspects, for example,
employment, transport, building village government offices and supply of wildlife meat, the
local communities expressed strong disapproval of tourist hunting near their area. The majority
of respondents perceived tourist hunting as a source of benefit to the nation but not to
themselves (61.5%). They perceived the Government, the Wildlife Division and foreign tourists
as the principle beneficiaries of wildlife. The study concludes and recommends that, the tourist
hunting has impact on local communities first, the distribution of benefits from tourist hunting
are too minimal to local communities, and secondly, there are some conflicts due to intensive
hunting SGR, which cause wounded animals and others to migrate to adjacent villages where
they destroy crops and kill/ injure humans and livestock. It is proposed from this study that, the
Government should ensure that benefits reach the affected local people and resolve the existing
conflicts.
Description
Dissertation
Keywords
Tourist hunting, Game reserve, Local communities