292
S. Das et al.
respondents were illiterate the questions were read and explained to the respondents
and their responses were recorded in writing. Each questionnaire took approximately
20–30 minutes to complete.
2.5 Data Analysis
The population was classified into adult male (male above 18 years), adult female
(female above 18 Years), minor male (boys above 1 year and below 18 years), minor
female (girls above 1 year and below 18 years) and infants (below 1 year). The
infants constitute 14.55% of the total population whereas minor males constitute
22.70%, minor females were 17.63%, adult males were 22.30% and adult females
were 22.83% of total population. The scales’ for restriction imposed in entering
forest ranged from 1 to 5 in all the communities. Since the data were not normally
distributed the discrete data were transformed to continuous data using Log transformation. Summarized and numerically coded survey data was placed in an MS Excel
spreadsheet and data analysis was conducted. Descriptive statistics such as frequency
table and percentages were used to analyze and report personal characteristics of the
respondents while inferential statistics such as Chi square, Z-test and correlation
analysis were employed to analyze the hypothesis of the study. Kruskal-Wallis Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to test whether there were significant differences
in community perceptions of conservation among the four communities. P < 0.05
were considered statistically significant.
3 Results
3.1 Perception and Attitude
Most of the fringe villagers (92.0%) possessed a positive attitude towards the sanctuary, although the utilitarian value was found to be dominant (48.73%) over aesthetic
(21.84%) and naturalistic (29.41%) values (χ
2
= 13.73, df = 2, P < 0.05) (Fig. 3).
A large portion of fringe villagers (71.67%) were neither satisfied with the present
conservation efforts in the sanctuary, nor were they (72.0%) willing to take part in
any conservation activities. A small section (13.93%) of fringe villagers possessed
traditional belief to protect non-human primates and banyan trees. A large number
of fringe villagers (64.16%) considered the recently constructed road NH-54E to
be positive. 43.0% fringe villagers were not aware of wild animals being killed by
speeding vehicles, whereas 39.0% respondents had seen road kill of wild animals
earlier and 18.0% individuals did not notice any such thing (χ
2
= 12.43, df = 2, P
< 0.05) (Fig. 4). Among various wild animals, reptiles (40.90%) were found to be
S. Das et al.
respondents were illiterate the questions were read and explained to the respondents
and their responses were recorded in writing. Each questionnaire took approximately
20–30 minutes to complete.
2.5 Data Analysis
The population was classified into adult male (male above 18 years), adult female
(female above 18 Years), minor male (boys above 1 year and below 18 years), minor
female (girls above 1 year and below 18 years) and infants (below 1 year). The
infants constitute 14.55% of the total population whereas minor males constitute
22.70%, minor females were 17.63%, adult males were 22.30% and adult females
were 22.83% of total population. The scales’ for restriction imposed in entering
forest ranged from 1 to 5 in all the communities. Since the data were not normally
distributed the discrete data were transformed to continuous data using Log transformation. Summarized and numerically coded survey data was placed in an MS Excel
spreadsheet and data analysis was conducted. Descriptive statistics such as frequency
table and percentages were used to analyze and report personal characteristics of the
respondents while inferential statistics such as Chi square, Z-test and correlation
analysis were employed to analyze the hypothesis of the study. Kruskal-Wallis Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to test whether there were significant differences
in community perceptions of conservation among the four communities. P < 0.05
were considered statistically significant.
3 Results
3.1 Perception and Attitude
Most of the fringe villagers (92.0%) possessed a positive attitude towards the sanctuary, although the utilitarian value was found to be dominant (48.73%) over aesthetic
(21.84%) and naturalistic (29.41%) values (χ
2
= 13.73, df = 2, P < 0.05) (Fig. 3).
A large portion of fringe villagers (71.67%) were neither satisfied with the present
conservation efforts in the sanctuary, nor were they (72.0%) willing to take part in
any conservation activities. A small section (13.93%) of fringe villagers possessed
traditional belief to protect non-human primates and banyan trees. A large number
of fringe villagers (64.16%) considered the recently constructed road NH-54E to
be positive. 43.0% fringe villagers were not aware of wild animals being killed by
speeding vehicles, whereas 39.0% respondents had seen road kill of wild animals
earlier and 18.0% individuals did not notice any such thing (χ
2
= 12.43, df = 2, P
< 0.05) (Fig. 4). Among various wild animals, reptiles (40.90%) were found to be