AbstractDue to their direct dependence on wildlife products for subsistent use, people living in poverty are often viewed as being in conflict with wildlife conservation. We studied the attitudes of local people towards mountain nyala (Tragelaphus buxtoni) in Munessa, Ethiopia. A household survey (n = 214) was used to examine the socio‐economic characteristics and beliefs of local people from three peasant associations and one village. Generally, the study revealed that local people had positive attitudes towards mountain nyala, its conservation and population increase, which is consistent with our predictions. For example, a greater percentage of the respondents had positive (62.5%) rather than negative (37.5%) attitudes towards mountain nyala and its conservation. Moreover, the larger proportion of the respondents had positive (66.67%) rather than negative (33.3%) attitudes towards an increase in mountain nyala population. However, compared to socio‐economic characteristics, beliefs towards mountain nyala were more powerful and consistent predictor of attitudes and explained much of the variances of the two groups of the dependent variables. Thus, informing local communities about the value of mountain nyala (e.g. recreational and economic) through conservation education, advocating the need for sustainable utilization and introducing an economic benefit sharing may improve positive attitude and increase participation of local people in conservation and management of the mountain nyala population in Munessa.