Evaluation of people’s perceptions towards human-elephant conflict in and around Bannerghatta national Park

Abstract

An assessment of human attitudes, towards elephant (Elephas maximus), is necessary in formulating appropriate policies for conserving wildlife. The aim of this study is to test the extent of how the experience people have of wild elephants influences their perceptions of, and attitudes towards, them, and to identify factors influencing their attitudes towards the conservation of elephants in the wild. This study was carried out in three villages near BNP through in-depth interviews of men (N = 70) and women (N = 20). Farming (49 %) is the major source of income for the local community. The majority of the respondents said that wild elephants caused anxiousness. A majority (58 %) of the people felt that deforestation in BNP (the neighboring territorial forests) has resulted in a higher human-elephant conflict. Variety of cultivated crops have been damaged by elephant, ragi (34%) was raided the most among all the cultivated crops. A variety of traditional mitigating methods are being used to combat conflict, but they were ineffective according to participants. Majority of them suggested regular patrolling (39 %) by the forest department officials and special joint patrolling (with villagers) is highly efficient methods to mitigate problem.