Wild Animal Intrusion on the Rural Community with Special References to North Western Slope of Sinharaja Forest Reserve

Abstract

There is a significant relationship between topical rain forest and rural communityin the world countries. Numbers of socio-economic activities have focused on forest resources of the rural community. It has become a significant reason to having a marginalized life of the rural community. Wildlife is one of the largest barriers to upgrade their livelihood. Life pattern of rural community has become a voluminous challenge with the rapid change of the land use patterns nearby forest. Sinharaja rain forest which is situated in wet climate zone is one of the Sri Lankan examples for above issues. The main objective of this research is to identify the impact on rural community from wild animals in Sinharaja rain forest. Four villages were selected as study area situated in North Western slope of Sinharaja forest. Namely Kudawa, Buthkanda, Pethiyakanda and Pitakele. Primary data collected by Questionnaire survey under the surveying methods. Secondary data collected by using books, Magazines, newspapers and web pages.70 people were selected by random sampling methods from micro level study area to collected primary data and analyzed by using descriptive analysis methods.The study identified three major factors for the wild animal intrusion to the peripheral villages. Those are changing food patterns of wild animals in the study area, Pinus plantation of the buffer zone in 1978, decreasing traditional Chena cultivation and distribution of tea cultivation. As a result of them, in process of time people who live around the forest have invaded the buffer zone of the Sinharaja Rain forest as a result of that wild animal attack has been increase and it causes to decrease socio economic level of rural community around Sinharaja forest. It is vital need to expand and maintain buffer zone of the forest regularly and systematic institutional plan should be introduced to demarcate the forest boundary. Having a comprehensive approach between rural community and the wild animal will be a suitable solution to mitigate this problem.