Abstract:
This study evaluated the effectiveness of community participation in enhancing the
prevention of Human-Wildlife Conflicts (HWC) in Kilimanjaro National Park. The study
was guided by Theory of Planned Behavior with three specific research objectives which
were to analyze the community participation practices in mitigating HWCs, to determine
the impact of the community participation initiatives in mitigating HWCs, and to find out
the deficiencies in community participation practices in mitigating HWCs. The study
adopted a pragmatism research philosophy, a mixed-method research approach and a
convergent research design. The target population was 830 people whereby probability
and non-probability sampling techniques were used to obtain 86 research participants
through purposive and simple random sampling techniques. Data was collected by using
questionnaires and interview guides. Validity and reliability of the research instrument
was ensured by IAA lectures and experts for feedback and improvement of instruments.
Data was analyzed through descriptive and thematic analysis techniques. Findings
revealed positive participation in community meetings related to wildlife conservation
efforts, unsatisfactory collaboration between community members and wildlife
authorities in addressing HWCs, inadequate workshops or education sessions on
understanding wildlife behavior, disagreement with decrease in HWCs, and disagreement
with receiving training on handling HWCs. The study underscores the importance of
peaceful coexistence between human and wild animals. To mitigate the problem, the
study recommends improvement of collaborative efforts through effective
communication channels between the park and community members and organizing
educational workshops to enhance understanding of wildlife behavior.
