Research overview: indigenous knowledge and felid conservation

Indigenous and local communities hold deep knowledge of big cats and their environments, and increasingly conservation recognizes the value of this knowledge and the rights of these communities as stewards. This overview surveys research on integrating indigenous knowledge into felid conservation, including using local observations to inform monitoring and management, and respecting cultural relationships with predators. Studies examine how indigenous-managed lands often sustain wildlife, including big cats, as effectively as formal protected areas, and how partnerships that honor rights and knowledge improve outcomes. Researchers also address the ethics of knowledge use and the importance of genuine collaboration rather than extraction. The overview frames indigenous knowledge and stewardship as an underused asset and a matter of justice in big cat conservation. It matters because much carnivore habitat overlaps indigenous territories, making equitable partnerships with communities who have coexisted with cats for generations essential to durable, fair conservation.