The Predators of Junnar: Local Peoples' Knowledge, Beliefs, and Attitudes Toward Leopards and Leopard Conservation

Abstract

This research evaluated local peoples' attitudes toward leopards and leopard conservation in the Junnar Forest Division, a hotspot for human–leopard conflict in India. This article used structured interviews and the theory of reasoned action to explore residents' knowledge, attitudes, subjective norms, and behavioral intentions toward leopards and their conservation. Results indicated a stronger influence of the attitudinal component than normative on locals' behavioral intention toward leopards and leopard conservation. Attitudes toward leopards were complex, with negative and positive views often held by the same person. This article revealed positive dimensions to the local peoples' perceptions of leopards, which are relevant to conservation of this animal. This research serves as a foundation for recommendations regarding regulatory interventions as well as educational and management strategies for the future.

Keywords:

• theory of reasoned action (TRA)
• human–wildlife conflict (HWC)
• conservation
• leopard
• India

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge funding for this research from the Center for Socioeconomic Research & Education at Texas A & M University, College Station, TX.