Contribution Of Community Knowledge To Wildlife Protection In Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

Elysee RUKUNDO, Pancras NDOKOYE

Abstract


Wildlife conservation remains a critical environmental priority in Rwanda, particularly in and around Volcanoes National Park, where biodiversity is increasingly threatened by poaching, illegal resource extraction, and human-wildlife conflicts. Despite the implementation of various conservation initiatives between 2020 and 2024, these challenges persist, highlighting the need to understand the role of local communities in supporting wildlife protection. Community-based conservation emphasizes the importance of equipping local people with conservation knowledge to enhance their participation in protecting wildlife and natural resources. Therefore; this study investigated the contribution of community knowledge to wildlife protection in Volcanoes National Park. Specifically; the study assessed the forms of conservation knowledge among surrounding communities, examined the effectiveness of wildlife protection measures, and analyzed the relationship between community knowledge and wildlife protection outcomes. The study adopted a descriptive research design using a mixed-methods approach. Quantitative data were collected through structured questionnaires administered to a stratified sample of 400 households located around volcanoes national park from Kinigi, Nyange, Shingiro, and Gataraga sectors in Musanze District; Kabatwa, Bigogwe, Jenda, and Mukamira sectors in Nyabihu District; Gahunga, Cyanika, and Rugarama sectors in Burera District. Qualitative data were obtained through purposive interviews with eleven local leaders (4 leaders from Musanze District, 3 leaders from Burera District, and 4 leaders from Nyabihu District), one community conservation warden, and one chief park warden. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation analysis in SPSS, while qualitative data were examined through thematic analysis. Significant biodiversity awareness (Mean = 4.41-4.67), indigenous knowledge (Mean = 4.53), and training programs (Mean = 4.53) were observed. Wild life conservation was quite effective in terms of reducing poaching (Mean = 4.54-4.58), human-wild life conflicts (Mean = 4.55-4.58), and illegal resource harvesting (Mean = 4.51-4.55). There was a strong correlation between community knowledge and wild life conservation (r = 0.824, p = 0.000).

Keywords


Community-based conservation; Community knowledge; Human-wildlife conflict; Indigenous knowledge; Volcanoes National Park; Wildlife protection

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.52155/ijpsat.v59.2.8753

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