Figure 10 : Map showing major illegal activities in the study
area (Source: Nechi Sar National Park)
The personal observation during the study period indicated that the park
was surrounded by agricultural communities from its eastern and western
boundaries that might cause the expansion of settlement in and/or around
the park. Girma and Stellmacher (2012) stated that the wildlife species
might be decline as the level of development in the surrounding natural
habitat has increased through the modification of vegetation structure
and composition by the human settler.
The study indicated that poaching is the leading among the list of
problems in over 85% of the Parks. Kolahi et al. (2012) investigated
that, poaching is one of the greatest threats to the conservation of
wildlife. Onadeko (2004) indicated that poaching is associated to the
roles of wildlife species in cultural ceremonies and therefore the
traditional marriage of the local people. The discussion made with the
discussants indicated that the local people are involving in poaching
for the purpose of getting food and to keep their families from pandemic
diseases like malaria.
The present study shows that deforestation through fuelwood collection
and charcoal production followed by grass cutting was the prominent
threat to the park. This was mostly exercised by the poor local
communities as a means of their livelihood via selling, and this was
discussed and agreed upon by the park experts. The widespread use, as
well as potential harvesting of the forest products, can have impacts on
forested landscapes and wildlife habitats. Even though charcoal
production is an important economic activity and an important source of
energy in developing countries, it is being however conducted informally
without any license (Bekele 2011). The research done by Mulat et al.
(2004) proved that charcoal making and selling were the major non-farm
employment along the main roads of the country which exposes the fragile
ecosystem for severe deterioration. Luoga et al. (2000) explained that
charcoal is a cheap commodity that requires low-priced, affordable, and
readily available metal or ceramic stoves in the market as compared to
electric and gas stoves for cooking purposes.
Therefore, there is a need for intervention by various stakeholders
including the adjacent communities, to alleviate such devastating
effects of the area on the existing wildlife resources with special
consideration for the large mammalian fauna of the park. The Ethiopian
Wildlife Conservation Authority should also design an appropriate
management plan to upgrade the current status with all the logistics and
personnel are recommended as a long-range conservation measure to
safeguard the ecosystem and the resources existing in the Nech Sar
National Park.