Abstract

Local communities residing near protected areas (PAs) play a crucial role in wildlife conservation and biodiversity management, as their knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions (KAP) significantly influence conservation outcomes. However, understanding the socio-ecological relationship between local communities and wildlife remains very limited. This study aims to explore the KAP of local communities toward wildlife conservation and sustainable biodiversity management in Bangladesh. A structured survey was carried out to analyze the local communities’ KAP in the selected wildlife areas. The collected data were systematically analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistical approaches. The result showed that most of the respondents were male (>60%), aged 26–45 years (>65%), with substantial variation in education, including high proportions lacking formal schooling (40–55%). More than half of the respondents earned below BDT 20,000 per month, reflecting economic vulnerability. The results indicated a substantial level of knowledge regarding the ecosystem, human–wildlife conflict, and impacts of illegal hunting and wildlife trade. Attitudes toward conservation were similarly positive including support for wildlife education, reporting poaching, and avoiding harmful practices. In contrast, perception indicators showed a moderate to comparable level of agreement regarding shared conservation, impacts of urbanization, and the need for inclusive governance. The Receiver Operating Characteristic curve analysis demonstrated high predictive accuracy with Area Under the Curve (AUC) for knowledge (AUC = 0.91) and attitudes (AUC = 0.89), and moderate performance for perceptions (AUC = 0.68). The spearman correlation analysis revealed spatially heterogeneous KAP dynamics across wildlife-rich areas. Additionally, the logistic regression analysis revealed that demographic factors, particularly gender and age, were significant predictors of the local community’s KAP toward wildlife conservation (p < 0.05). The findings urged a comprehensive, integrated conservation strategy that combines community awareness with evidence-based interventions in forest-edge regions. Our study also suggests that a sustainable conservation model is essential for ensuring long-term biodiversity conservation and promoting human–wildlife coexistence in Bangladesh.

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