Anti-Poaching for Endangered Megafauna Conservation in Assam, India: Examining Stakeholder Perception

Abstract

India is the stronghold for endangered species and poaching and illegal trade have seriously threatened wildlife conservation. Against this backdrop, Indian regulatory authorities have strengthened workforce capacity for monitoring and enforcement actions against poaching, employed patrolling systems, and adopted lethal deterrence-based policies. However, efforts to control poaching and conserve biodiversity are often at odds with local communities' needs and interests, and stakeholder participation in management is integral to successful wildlife conservation. This research aims to understand stakeholder perception of anti-poaching management practices and tribal customs in protected areas. A survey was conducted to gather information from forest staff and fringe villagers at the four national parks and one wildlife sanctuary in Assam, India. The results indicate that villagers around protected areas generally perceive that the Forest Department and patrolling effectively prevent poaching. However, stakeholders' perceptions of the lethal deterrence-based policies and tribal customs were split, depending on the local communities' unique social, economic, and political situations. Leveraging these responses, wildlife managers in India can collaborate with villagers around the protected areas to address the threats of poaching to wild megafauna. Further, this research underpins the reason to strengthen the enforcement capacity of forest staff, as they stand at the frontline of endangered species protection in biodiversity-rich, developing countries.