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ecological modeling (Dharaiya and Singh 2018). Our identified corridors have
also been valuable for the conservation of various groups of wildlife, including
sloth bears, in various situations (e.g. urban, agricultural, and production forest

landscapes), although individual species vary in their use of corridors.

As a mitigation measure, we have organized several awareness campaigns in
tribal villages in Gujarat that include information about sloth bear ecology,
areas of their movement, and the preferred food of sloth bears in their
respective areas. We also printed and distributed forms for claiming
compensation among the locals, which has created a significant impact on the
community. We have also scientifically assessed the perception of locals
towards sloth bears in comparison to other wild animals in the area to know
the social drivers to enhance the human sloth bear co-existence in the area. Our
study concludes that there is a need to inculcate positivity and enhance the
tolerance of locals towards the sloth bear. This can be achieved by providing
true and scientific information about the species and involving the locals in the
conservation-oriented work. Keeping this as a central goal, we initiated a
community outreach programme in central Gujarat, one of the highest bear
density landscapes in the western India. Further, parts of this landscape do not
fall under the protected area; however, the area supports a good population of
sloth bear as well as leopard and the people living in vicinity chiefly depend on Our goal is to reduce the number of sloth bear attacks in this area and to

the forest and forest products. Hence, these people are more likely to be inculcate the essence of co-existence between humans and sloth bears
attacked by sloth bears which may lead to an increase in the hostility of locals through a holistic understanding of human–sloth bear interaction. We also
towards the wildlife in general and sloth bear in specific. aimed to enhance the tolerance of local people towards sloth bears through
awareness and outreach activities in the villages and involve the forest field
staff and local people to establish cross-sector collaborations among local
people, researchers, and forest field staff.

03 Sloth bear Conservation Education Programme 04 Sloth bear Conservation Education Programme
WCB Research Foundation WCB Research Foundation