| Summary: | Indian endangered biodiversity was protected under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 (WPA 1972) by transforming the natural habitats into Protected Areas – National Parks and Wildlife
Sanctuaries. However, a large number of diverse wildlife populations occurred beyond these Protected Areas as is evident in the arid zone of western Rajasthan. During 1980’s, Rajasthan State Government issued a gazetted notification to protect unprotected wildlife-rich areas such as “Closed Areas”. An
amendment of WPA 1972 in 2002 abolished the protection priorities of Closed Areas making them susceptible to local extinction of several species. The current study, aimed to assess the community Indian endangered biodiversity was protected under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 (WPA
1972) by transforming the natural habitats into Protected Areas – National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries. However, a large number of diverse wildlife populations occurred beyond these Protected
Areas as is evident in the arid zone of western Rajasthan. During 1980’s, Rajasthan State Government issued a gazetted notification to protect unprotected wildlife-rich areas such as “Closed Areas”. An amendment of WPA 1972 in 2002 abolished the protection priorities of Closed Areas making them
susceptible to local extinction of several species. The current study, aimed to assess the community perceptions towards conservation of such dwindling biodiversity. Awareness and attitude of the local communities towards biodiversity conservation was thus assessed by use of a semi-structured questionnaire-based interview among 3357 people in 2470 households across seven erstwhile Closed Areas in western Rajasthan so as to explore the possibilities of bringing these areas under the recently
introduced protective regime of “Conservation Reserves” or “Community Reserves”. Anthropogenic offences in the absence of designated protection mechanism were held responsible for biodiversity degradation by government reports. Eco-tourism shows immense potential in other Indian Protected Areas for biodiversity conservation and economic growth for the local communities. Currently, 31.1% of the total interviewed population were willing to support the future eco-tourism initiatives in the region. Such positivity should be encouraged by the authorities following successful examples of eco-tourism projects in other Indian Protected Areas before the cessation of social enthusiasm for protecting biodiversity. perceptions towards conservation of such dwindling biodiversity. Awareness and attitude of the local
communities towards biodiversity conservation was thus assessed by use of a semi-structured questionnaire-based interview among 3357 people in 2470 households across seven erstwhile Closed
Areas in western Rajasthan so as to explore the possibilities of bringing these areas under the recently introduced protective regime of “Conservation Reserves” or “Community Reserves”. Anthropogenic offences in the absence of designated protection mechanism were held responsible for biodiversity degradation by government reports. Eco-tourism shows immense potential in other Indian Protected Areas for biodiversity conservation and economic growth for the local communities. Currently, 31.1%
of the total interviewed population were willing to support the future eco-tourism initiatives in the region. Such positivity should be encouraged by the authorities following successful examples of eco-tourism projects in other Indian Protected Areas before the cessation of social enthusiasm for protecting biodiversity.
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