Abstract—Controversies surrounding the impacts of oil palm plantations have resulted in some heated debates, especially concerning biodiversity loss and indigenous people well-being. The indigenous people of Dayak generally used wildlife to fulfill their daily needs thus were assumed to have experienced negative impacts due to oil palm developments within and surrounding their settlement areas. This study was conducted to identify the characteristics of the Dayak community settled around an oil palm plantation, to determine their perceptions of wildlife loss or gain as the results of the development of oil palm plantations, and to identify the determinant characteristic of the perceptions. The research was conducted on March 2018 in Nanga Tayap and Tajok Kayong Villages, which were located around the oil palm plantation of NTYE of Ketapang, West Kalimantan-Indonesia. Data were collected through in depth-structured interview, using closed and semi-open questionnaires and three-scale Likert statements. Interviews were conducted with 74 respondents using accidental sampling, and categorized into respondents who were dependent on oil palm for their livelihoods and those who were not. Data were analyzed using quantitative statistics method, Likert Scale, Chi- Square Test, Spearman Test, and Mann-Whitney Test. The research found that the indigenous Dayak people were aware of wildlife species loss and gain since the establishment of the plantation. Nevertheless, wildlife loss did not affect their social, economic, and cultural needs since they could find substitutions. It was found that prior to the plantation’s development, the local Dayak communities were already slowly experiencing some livelihood transitions through local village development. The only determinant characteristic of the community that influenced their perceptions of wildlife loss/gain was level of education. Keywords—Wildlife, oil palm plantations, indigenous Dayak, biodiversity loss and gain. I. INTRODUCTION UMANS and wildlife have been interacting for thousands of years in relation to various socio- economic practices [1], as shown by the indigenous Dayak people living in West Kalimantan Province of Indonesia [2]. The Dayak communities generally use wildlife to fulfil their daily needs for food, medicine, supernatural, and traditional ceremonies [3]. The existence of the wildlife will certainly be affected by the conditions of the ecosystem, while the functioning of ecosystems [4], [5], defines the capacity of natural processes and components in providing goods and services that will directly or indirectly satisfy human needs A.Sunkar, A.Saraswati, and Y. Santosa are with Department of Forest Resources Conservation and Ecotourism, Faculty of Forestry, Bogor Agricultural University, Kampus Darmaga Bogor 16680, Indonesia (e-mail: arzyanas@gmail.com, ayashadhe@yahoo.com, yantohaurjaya@yahoo.co.id). [6]. It provides a mixture of ecosystem services, which directly and indirectly contribute to human well-being [7]. Changes in the ecosystems from forests to oil palm plantations have been said to have impact on the number of wildlife species, both as a loss [8] as well as a gain [9]. Considering that the Dayaks are dependent on wildlife for their survival, the changes in the wildlife compositions will assumably affect the lives of the Dayak people living around oil palm plantations. The characters of the Dayaks who have high dependence on nature [10], suggest that they have little interest in the business world, which is also the cause of their low level of welfare [11], [12]. On the other hand, [13] has found that the local people have been involved in land conversion process into oil palm plantations due to economic factors. Amid the development of oil palm plantations that can improve the village economy [14], there is a question as to whether or not there would be any changes in the characters of the Dayak community in the presence of better economic option. Loss and gain of wildlife species for the Dayak community is influenced by the value given by the community to a species which is usually influenced by the benefits that the species accrue [15]. It is intriguing to study whether the Dayaks perceived similar value of wildlife loss and gains as their ecological values. Therefore, the perceptions of the Dayak communities regarding the loss and gain of wildlife species surrounding the development of oil palm plantations on their livelihood, is very interesting to be studied. This study has the objectives to: (a) Identify individual characteristics of the Dayaks living around the NTYE Estate, (b) Determine the Dayaks perceptions on wildlife loss and gain due to the establishment of oil palm plantations; and (c) Identify the determinant characteristic variable(s) that influence their perceptions on wildlife loss and gain. This research is expected to provide the latest information on the characteristics of the Dayak communities living around oil palm plantations and their perceptions about the impact of the plantations that affect wildlife species diversity. II. METHOD A. Periods and Location of Research The study was conducted in March 2018 in Nanga Tayap Village and Tajok Kayong Village. Specifically, data collection was carried out in Sebuaq Hamlet which is part of Nanga Tayap Village area, and the Dayak ethnic community of Tajok Kayong Village. The villages are located around A. Sunkar, A. Saraswati, Y. Santosa Indigenous Dayak People’s Perceptions of Wildlife Loss and Gain Related to Oil Palm Development H World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology International Journal of Environmental and Ecological Engineering Vol:13, No:2, 2019 37 International Scholarly and Scientific Research & Innovation 13(2) 2019 ISNI:0000000091950263 Open Science Index, Environmental and Ecological Engineering Vol:13, No:2, 2019 waset.org/Publication/10010010