Belief and the beast: Religion and attitudes towards tigers in Central India

Abstract Human perceptions of wildlife are critical to shaping conservation outcomes, particularly in landscapes where people coexist with large carnivores. Religion, a deeply rooted sociocultural force, remains underexplored in the context of human–wildlife conflict. This study examines how faith‐based belief systems influence attitudes and tolerance towards tigers ( Panthera tigris ) in the surrounding area of the Tadoba‐Andhari Tiger Reserve, central India—where tigers are both culturally significant and frequently implicated in life‐threatening conflict. Using structured surveys conducted across 17 villages, we effectively applied the four‐compartment Wildlife Value Orientation (WVO) typology in this context, with classification predicting attitudes. Religiosity was positively linked to Mutualist WVOs—characterised by empathy and care for wildlife. Belief in divine protection (i.e. the idea that a divine being protects individuals and their cattle from tiger attacks) showed a novel dual effect: it reduced perceived risk while simultaneously increasing engagement in active risk mitigation. This study explores the relationship between divine protection and wildlife risk perception and is the first in central India to incorporate religion as a variable influencing attitudes towards a high‐conflict species using a quantitative methodology. These novel results reinforce the growing realisation that effective wildlife conservation cannot take place within a social vacuum. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.