Farmers perception of leopard (Panthera pardus) conservation in a human dominated landscape in northern Ethiopian highlands

Attitudes toward leopard (Panthera pardus) conservation were surveyed in two sub districts; May Anbesa (relatively high leopard density area) and Egriwonber (area with no leopard) in the northern Ethiopian highlands. This district is a completely human dominated landscape, where conflict has manifested in terms of livestock depredation. Spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta), leopard (P. pardus) and common jackal (Canis aureus aureus) are common in this landscape but all other large carnivores are virtually absent. A structured survey instruction was prepared in the form of an interview-based questionnaire. We interviewed 519 randomly selected households. Majority of the respondents (64.6%) had positive feelings and only 10.2% had negative feelings in the core area, whereas majority of the respondents (52.3%) had neutral feelings and only 9.1% had negative feelings towards leopard in the control area. The mean attitude score in both areas was 3.53: neutral to positive. The majority of respondents (72.3%), including 88.6% in the core area and 46.5% in the control area, thought that compensation should be paid to farmers whose livestock had been killed. Only 34.7% of all participants, including 25.9% in the core area and 48.5% in the control area, agreed that killing of leopards should be strictly regulated. Farmers of the core area reported losses of 85 domestic animals due to leopard depredation causing an estimated financial loss of about US$ 3,470 over the last five years. Of all the respondents in core area only 12% of the people had suffered from leopard depredation. Goats were the most depredated livestock species (49.4%). The findings indicated that tolerance for depredation is high for that further efforts could improve support for carnivore conservation.   Key words: Leopard, conservation, financial impacts, Ethiopian highlands.