THE POPULATION STATUS AND IMPACTS OF PEST PRIMATE SPECIES ON AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES IN KUYU DISTRICT, NORTH SHOA ZONE, OROMIA REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the population status and impact of pest primates on agricultural activities in study area. Both primary and secondary data sources were used. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected during the wet and dry seasons. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used for quantitative data analysis. A total of five common wild animal pests were identified in the area, of which three of them are primate pest species. The total number of gelada baboons counted was 270 and 205 during wet and dry season respectively. The total number of vervet monkeys counted was 170 and 127 during wet and dry season respectively. The majority of the respondents from three kebeles have reported that there was an increase of crop damage by pest primates from time to time. Moreover, most of the respondents replied that the extent of crop damage by primate pests was high n= 102 (79.07 %,), medium=19 (13.22%) and Low, n=8 (7.44 %,). As calculated based on quadrant sampling, from 1.8 hectares maize, about 68 quintals maize yield were expected. The estimated yield loss of maize due to crop raiding wild animals was about 19 quintals. The losses cover 27.9% of the total annual production of the total sampled area of the maize crops. In financial term, the overall loss to farmers in the sampled area was estimated to be 95,000ETB per sampled farmland of maize. Inspite of this, the study has shown that trends of crop damage and the levels of crop damage across the three study kebeles have no significant statistical differences (p> 0.05) (𝑥 2 = 5.017, P = 0.081 and (𝑥 2 = 6.274, P = 0.180 respectively). The existence of human primate conflict in study area was well recognized. Most of the respondents in the study area had negative perception towards the management of gelada baboon (88.37%) and vervet monkey (75.97%). To avoid heavy losses, highly palatable seasonal crops such as maize and Sorghum should not be grown near the forest edge. This is because these crops seem more attractive to crop raiders than wild foods, thus farmers should be encouraged to concentrate on crops which are unpalatable to pest primates.