Investigating effects of livestock-wild animal interactions on subsistence livestock production in areas around Sengwa Wildlife Area in Gokwe South, Zimbabwe

The study investigated wild animal-livestock interaction on subsistence livestock production in Sai Community around Sengwa Wildlife Research Area (SWRA), Gokwe South. Face to face interviews with household members from five villages (i.e. Gava, Chitita, Siamwanja, Muchoni and Chirevereve) were done. A total of 80 households, consisting of 16 participants per village, were selected from total of 435 households. Three key informants from local government departments were also purposively selected. Secondary data relating to livestock predation and disease outbreak for the period October, 2021 to September, 2022 was utilised from key informant records. Hyenas, leopards, bat-eared foxes, black- backed jackals, and baboons were reported to prey on livestock. Household interviews results perceived buffaloes and bat-eared fox as associated with disease transmission to livestock. Forage and water availability were listed as drivers to wild animal-livestock interactions in the study area (n = 80) while open park boundary facilitate easy passage by both livestock and wild animals to the other side. There was no statistically significant seasonal difference in livestock losses between wet and dry. The general perception from participants was that wild animal-livestock interactions may reduce livestock production at household level in the study area. The study recommends use of physical barriers like fencing to restrict wild animal-livestock direct interaction based on findings from both perception and record analysis.