Human-Wildlife Conflict and Local Peoples'views on Wildlife Conservation in Golestan National Park, Iran

The conflict between human and wildlife is a newfound issue in the present era that has intensified over time. This study evaluates different aspects of human-wildlife conflict in the Golestan National Park. The present study was initially conducted using field research to collect basic information among the native villagers around the Golestan National park. A questionnaire method (open and closed) was used to obtain additional information about human and wildlife conflicts and the attitude of local people towards wildlife in the study area. Respondents were of different genders, age groups, religious groups, occupations and fields of study. Fourteen villages were selected based on the data collected using a preliminary survey, distance from the park, problems related to agricultural damage, livestock losses, human health and dependence of local people on the park. Totally, 489 people were randomly selected for interview. The majority of respondents (46.83%) believed that the population of problematic animals in the region has increased in recent years. The main types of human-wildlife conflicts in the study area were include crop attacks, livestock hunting, increased risk of animal diseases, and direct threats to human life. 35.14% of the respondents considered damage to crops as the main factor in dealing with wildlife. Also, 32.64%, 16.58% and 15.63% of the respondents considered the hunting of livestock by wild animals, the threat to human life and the threat to human health by wildlife as the reasons for their confrontation with wildlife, respectively.