Community Attitude and Religious Bonding in Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation: A Study of Kilpura-Khatima-Surai Corridor, Terai Arc Landscape, India

Abstract

Religious and cultural beliefs among the communities residing on the edge of forests                             areas are important in developing human-wildlife conflict mitigation measures and                           conservation of various endangered species. Kilpura-Khatima-Surai wildlife corridor is                                an important linkage between national and trans-boundary wildlife habitats. The present                        study was conducted to understand the people attitude toward wildlife conservation through structured questionnaire survey of households in Terai Arc Landscape. Our finding reveals that though the wildlife corridor has been severely altered due to various anthropogenic activities, however, the mythological understanding of the inhabiting community has a major role in driving the attitude toward wildlife conservation. These profound beliefs constitute flexible behaviour towards a particular wild animal even if they are facing conflicts with them. Such understanding would be important to implement community based conservation and management inputs, as well as in achieving the desired conservation goals.