We are pleased to share with you an exciting new international scientific publication authored by Dr. Krithi K. Karanth and Priya Ranganathan from the Centre for Wildlife Studies (India).
The paper titled “Assessing Human–Wildlife Interactions in a Forest Settlement in Sathyamangalam and Mudumalai Tiger Reserves” was published in the international journal Tropical Conservation Science (Volume 11, Pg. 1-14). It can be viewed online at the link: https://doi.org/10.1177/1940082918802758
The scientists studied human-wildlife interactions in Thengumarahada, a forest settlement adjacent to Sathyamangalam (STR) and Mudumalai Tiger Reserves (MTR) in the state of Tamil Nadu in southern India. They interviewed 421 families in Thengumarahada to analyse their attitudes towards wildlife, the reserves and the challenges faced by them.
The study found that stabilising people-wildlife relationships in STR-MTR may remain a challenge due to frequent conflicts, insufficient compensation and lack of interest in resettlement outside. Understanding these local connections among people, wildlife and wild places may provide insights which enable people and wildlife to co-exist.
