Crop damage by African elephants assessment in kaftasheraro national park, Ethiopia

This study was conducted in Kafta-Sheraro wereda in Northwest Tigray region of Ethiopia to assess community take on crop damage by the African Elephant, to identify visiting time of Elephants to agricultural plots and identify any other animals causing crop damage. A total of 240 households were selected from twelve villages using a stratified random sampling procedure. Half of the villages represented samples closer to the park and the other half, represented samples farther away. Whether the farmer owned or rented plots on which crops were grown as well as the distance to the park from the plots were the primary factors significantly (P < 0.05) influencing crop damage by elephants in the area. Time of the elephants visiting the agricultural plots was significantly (P < 0.05) higher at night. In a ranking exercise, among seven species considered, Elephants were ranked second in importance after Warthogs for crop destruction in villages close to the park but last in villages farther away. In the latter area, the most problematic animal was the Warthog followed by the Crested Porcupine. In the former areas where elephants' damage to crops was more frequent, farmers ranked fire as the most effective way of controlling the invasion. The study concludes that bringing the community to the discussion on elephant crop damage, increasing the time of keeping vigil during the night; improving the extension services and training in awareness creation and additional research's should be undertaken to evaluate in monetary terms the value of crop damage. Resume Cette etude a ete realisee dans la commune de Kafta-Sheraro, au Tigre, au nord-ouest de l'Ethiopie, pour evaluer comment la communaute fait face aux dommages causes aux cultures par les elephants, pour determiner quand les elephants penetrent dans les parcelles cultivees et identifier tous les autres animaux qui causeraient des degâts aux cultures. Au total, 240 foyers furent selectionnes dans 12 villages par un processus d'echantillonnage aleatoire stratifie. La moitie des villages representaient des echantillons proches du parc et ceux de l'autre moitie etaient plus eloignes. Les premiers facteurs influencant significativement (P < 0.05) les dommages causes par les elephants etaient le fait que les exploitants possedent ou louent les parcelles sur lesquelles poussaient les cultures ainsi que la distance par rapport au parc. Les elephants penetraient dans les parcelles significativement (P < 0.05) plus souvent pendant la nuit. Dans un classement impliquant sept especes, les elephants etaient deuxiemes en importance apres les phacocheres, suivis par les porcs-epics. Dans d'autres zones ou les dommages des elephants etaient plus frequents auparavant, les cultivateurs citaient les feux comme le moyen le plus efficace de controler leurs invasions. Cette etude conclut qu'il faudrait reunir la communaute pour des discussions sur les degâts des elephants, augmenter le temps passe a surveiller les cultures, ameliorer les services de sensibilisation et former a la conscientisation, mais aussi faire des recherches supplementaires pour pouvoir evaluer en termes financiers les dommages causes aux cultures.