RAJASTHAN, INDIA (January 16, 2018)  A new study from WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society), Duke University, and the Centre for Wildlife Studies in India finds that communities living near wildlife reserves in Rajasthan, India, show a high tolerance for wildlife. This is despite them having experienced losses in crops and livestock as a result of interaction with wildlife like nilgai, jackal and wild pig, as well as larger carnivores such as leopard and wolves. Understanding these attitudes towards wildlife is critical to informing park management policies and practices.

(Bangalore, India (05/18/17) –Spatial capture-recapture model analysis is often used to estimate tiger abundance. A new study led by Dr. Robert Dorazio of the United States Geological Survey, and co-authored by WCS’s Dr.Ullas Karanth, however, finds that dates and times of animal detections are often not factored into the analysis. This is despite the fact that this data is available when using “continuous-time” recorders such as camera-traps.

(Bangalore, May 15, 2017) A new WCS study finds that leopards are abundant in tea-garden landscapes in north-eastern India, but that their mere presence does not lead to conflicts with people. 

(Bangalore, India (03/29/17) – A new methodology developed by the Indian Statistical Institute, and WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society) may revolutionize how to count tigers and other big cats over large landscapes.

BANGALORE, INDIA (January 10, 2016) – WCS reports that a poaching gang recently arrested for shooting wildlife in a well-known tiger reserve consisted of software engineers, environmental consultants, wealthy coffee planters, and a leading member of the Rifle Association of Karnataka State. Conservationists say the incident is particularly disturbing because the group consisted mostly of affluent and well-educated men.

Resolving human wildlife conflicts related to large cats largely consists of reactive actions such as translocating the animals or paying livestock compensation to the people. Rarely is an attempt made to understand the under lying causes of the conflict and then use the knowledge to tackle the conflict proactively.