Human–wildlife coexistence and social context: Evidence from farmer communities in southern Sri Lanka

Abstract Studies on human–wildlife interactions (HWI) often focus on conflict mitigation studies, thus overlooking underlying factors that influence community decisions to coexist with wildlife. To address this knowledge gap, we collected empirical evidence of how community interactions with wildlife are shaped by their social contexts. In this study, values, norms and knowledge are referred to as the social context of communities that influence human–wildlife coexistence (HW‐coexistence). Through an ethnographic study consisting of focus group discussions and transect walks inside the Walsapugala village in southern Sri Lanka, we show how the social context of farmer communities influences their interactions with wild elephants. Our study revealed seven key themes, which influence HW‐coexistence: (1) Community strength and social cohesion, (2) Ethical stewardship and emotional connection, (3) Cultural inheritance, (4) Social dynamics and group interactions, (5) Ethical integrity and social critique, (6) Community learning and practices and (7) Multi‐dimensional awareness. By highlighting the social context of the participating communities, these themes can guide designing effective conservation programmes. Therefore, we recommend further longitudinal and qualitative research to increase understanding of the nuances of community interactions with wildlife. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.