Communities’ perception towards carnivore conservation in the human-modified Woze-Degena landscape of southern Ethiopia

Understanding landscape-level variations in communities' perceptions of carnivore conservation is essential for effective, sustainable outcomes. This study assessed perceptions across demographic groups through semi-structured questionnaires administered to 920 household heads in seven villages over six months in 2024, using systematic sampling. Respondents reported 1,210 livestock depredation incidents, with 54.35% experiencing conflicts primarily from spotted hyenas (53%) and leopards (25.2%) suffering average annual economic losses of $51.25$51.25 per farmer. Overall, 92.72% held negative perceptions toward carnivore conservation, 4.67% positive, and 2.61% did not respond. The pronounced difference of community perceptions were observed with direct experience of livestock depredation, male respondents and those who have no formal education expressing more negative compared to non-affected households, females, and educated respondents. The interviewees (69.13%) indicated that proper guarding could reduce the risk of livestock predation, as improper livestock management practices are the primary contributing factor. The multinomial logistic regression model identify length of residence, herd size, depredation incidence, gender, and education are key drivers influencing community perceptions. Moreover, it is imperative to prioritize the implementation of effective guarding measures and community-based guarding protocols in villages experiencing high depredation rates. Such interventions can substantially reduce daytime predation events, whereas predator-proof corrals and guard dogs specifically adapted to nocturnal predators. Collectively, our findings underscore the importance of comprehending community perceptions, as their informed and positive perceptions are critical to achieving sustainable conservation outcomes.