CASIRJ Volume 8 Issue 9 [Year - 2017] ISSN 2319 – 9202 International Research Journal of Commerce Arts and Science http://www.casirj.com Page 169 Human Awareness and Wildlife Conservation in Western Rajasthan. A.P. Ojha, A.K. Meena, G. Sharma, D. Yadav and L.S. Rajpurohit Animal Behavior Unit, Jai Narain Vyas University, Jodhpur (Raj.) Email- aazad.ojha@hotmail.com , catchmeatgs@gmail.com Abstract: In western of Rajasthan, there is huge desert called as The Great Indian Thar Desert. It harbors many floral and faunal species, some of which endemic to this region. Fluctuation in temperature ranges from 4 degree centigrade in winter to 50 degree centigrade in summer. Western Rajasthan is unique in harboring endemic critical endangered the Great Indian Bustard ( Ardeotis nigriceps). Thar desert has many species of mammals which include the wolf ( Canis lupus), Jackal (Canis aureus), the stripped hyaena (Hyaena hyaena), the Indian desert fox (Vulpes v. pusilla), wild boar (Sus scrofa), black buck (Antilope cervicapra), Chinkara (Gazella g. benneti), blue bull (Boselaphus tragocamelus), the desert cat (Felis lybica) etc. and reptiles includes venomous and non venomous species of snakes, and great diversity of avian fauna. Study was carried out in Barmer, Jaisalmer and Jodhpur districts of Rajasthan state. We observed that many species are facing anthropological disturbance in these study areas. Many species of animals are killed in road accidents, animal hunting can be seen in some areas, poaching and mining has caused many animals to shift to narrower areas of Thar Desert. Different types of conservation methods are in practice here, which include protection by forest/wildlife department and mythological or religious aspects of conservation viz. Oran and Gaucher ground traditional conservation system, communities of human protecting wildlife etc. Human subsidy and public awareness programs have become important aspects in wildlife conservation. However, more conservation programs should be run to aware people about wildlife available in Thar desert and its preservation. Key words: Conservation, anthropology, oran and gaucher, wildlife, Rajasthan. Introduction Western Rajasthan (WR) comprises of huge desert and specific geographical distribution in India, which is called as the Great Indian Thar Desert (GITD). Thar Desert (TD) is spread over parts of Punjab Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat, extending into Pakistan. It extends over about 446,000 sq km, of which 208,110 sq km lies in India and rest in Pakistan (Idris et al, 2009). The TD has resulted from geo-tectonic and climatic changes in the past and almost continues into the ‘Sahara’ through middle eastern deserts. The biodiversity of the TD is important from bio - geographic point of view as it presents an admixture of Palaearctic and Indo-Malayan elements (Prakash, 1974). The desert itself is an ecosystem where many animals are inhabited, some animals are endemic to this particular area, for example the Great Indian Bustard ( Ardeotis nigriceps) which is found only in the GITD. The GITD shows much temperature variation during day and night, even though many species are harbored by the GITD. Distribution of the GITD is as follow-(Prakash, 1994)