Socio-Ecological Determinants of Community Vulnerability to Indirect Effects of Human-Elephant Interactions Around Mikumi National Park,Tanzania
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54536/jwc.v2i1.7477Keywords:
Conflict Severity, Conflict Vulnerability, Demographic Factors, Human-Elephant Conflict, Socio-Ecological FactorsAbstract
Human–elephant interactions (HEI) pose significant challenges to communities living adjacent to protected areas in Tanzania, generating not only direct effects such as crop loss, property damage and human deaths but also indirect effects such as fear, psychosocial stress and disrupted livelihoods. Despite these profound consequences, the socio-ecological and demographic factors shaping the vulnerability to these effects remain poorly understood, limiting the effectiveness of mitigation strategies. This study investigates the determinants of community vulnerability to the indirect effects of Human-elephant interactions in 10 villages surrounding Mikumi National Park (MNP). Demographic and socio-ecological data were collected from 405 households through structured questionnaire surveys and analyzed using ordinal logistic regression to identify predictors of conflict severity and household vulnerability. Results indicate that distance to park boundary and seasonal variations, female headed households, widowed individuals, education levels, crop farming and household size significantly influence vulnerability to indirect HEI effects. These findings underscore the importance of understanding socio-ecological determinants to inform participatory, context-sensitive conflict management strategies that integrate community education, landscape-level planning, and targeted support for high-risk households, ultimately fostering sustainable human–elephant coexistence.
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