Confronting Cultures: An Exploration of Madagascar's Cultural Diversity and the Coexistence of Owls and Humans

Abstract This study was conducted in 16 villages located in Andapa in 2023, a northern district of Madagascar. It aimed to explore the challenges of coexisting with owls and humans. The research aimed to discover the confrontation on coexistence between owls and humans. It utilized a mixed-method approach including questionnaires, interviews, observation checklists, and Focus Group Discussions. The study focused on witch-hunting operations in these villages between 2021 and 2022 and investigated the cultural beliefs surrounding the relationship between traditional religion and population killing owls' motivation. The study presented the quantitative data collected in tables with frequencies and percentages, integrating regression analysis and correlation tests. Meanwhile, the qualitative data was thematically presented through narrative reports. The findings revealed that the local community strongly believed in the close association between witches and owls. Additionally, they lacked awareness of environmental regulations and laws. These two factors influenced the high motivation in owl-hunting behavior. The correlation analysis showed that the variables, such as "people seeing dead owls" and “traditional beliefs attachment,” move in the same direction as the dependent variable "Owls killing," indicating a high frequency of owl-killing incidents in the region and a high level of traditional belief adherence. On the other hand, the variables, such as "law knowledge in the population," "high school graduates in the population," "awareness of the environmental value," and "awareness of owls' importance in life," all strongly move in a divergent direction with the dependent variable "Owls killing." The increase of one unit in them can reduce the owl-hunting behavior in the population. Thus, the study's findings provide valuable insights into the interactions between human communities and owls, accentuating the importance of raising ecological value awareness and promoting education in the region.