Insights into illegal wildlife hunting by forest guards of selected tiger reserves in Central India

Illegal wildlife hunting is an anthropogenic threat to global fauna with a cascading detrimental effect on the ecosystems. India imposed a blanket ban on hunting of all indigenous species (except Schedule V species) in 1991 (Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 amended) yet, wildlife hunting continues in a clandestine nature. The study is aimed at addressing three key issues: (i) drivers of illegal hunting, hunting practices, and trends in illegal hunting in the last decade; (ii) reasons for the dependence of local communities on protected areas; and (iii) awareness of the law among the local communities, through the lens of frontline-forest staff. An exploratory analysis is presented by surveying 415 forest guards. The results highlight (i) rising threat of retaliation hunting especially using electrical wires and snares, (ii) a perceived decline in illegal hunting trends in the last decade, (iii) dependence of local communities on firewood and non-timber forest produce, and (iv) there is awareness about the wildlife laws and policies at the grass-root level. This research provides insights for harnessing the knowledge of the forest guards for improving conservation strategies of protected areas, especially in the Tiger Landscapes of India.