Human-Wildlife Conflict Research (1989-2025): A Scopus-Based Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

Aims: To provide a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of Human-Wildlife Conflict (HWC) research from 1989 to 2025, with specific objectives to analyse publication trends, influential authors, leading journals, thematic evolution and collaboration networks in the field. Study Design: This study employs a quantitative bibliometric research design focusing on published literature indexed in the Scopus database within the subject domains of “Economics, Econometrics and Finance”, “Social Sciences” and “Agricultural and Biological Sciences”. Place and Duration of Study: The analysis was conducted at the College of Agriculture, Vellayani in September 2025, using data extracted from Scopus covering the period between 1989 and 2025. Methodology: The dataset comprised 2,916 Scopus-indexed documents related to HWC using the keyword “Human Wildlife Conflict”. Data were analysed using Biblioshiny (version 4.3.3) within RStudio and VOSviewer for network visualization. Analytical dimensions included annual publication trends, citation analysis, leading journals, authors, institutional affiliations, bibliographic coupling among countries, and keyword clustering to map conceptual and thematic structures of HWC research over time. Results: Findings revealed exponential growth in HWC publications, with a distinct surge post-2010 and peak years around 2021-2023. Journal articles accounted for 2,563 documents (88 per cent), with Biological Conservation, Oryx, and Human Dimensions of Wildlife emerging as key publication outlets. Collaborative authorship increased globally, with 39 per cent of publications involving international co-authorship led by the United States, United Kingdom, India, South Africa, and Australia. Thematic mapping identified transition from species-specific conflict studies toward interdisciplinary frameworks integrating coexistence, socioecological governance, and policy research. Conclusion: This bibliometric evaluation highlights the expanding and diversifying nature of global HWC research while underscoring regional and disciplinary imbalances. Strengthening research capacity in biodiversity rich developing regions and promoting interdisciplinary, evidence driven approaches are essential for developing equitable, community centred strategies that foster sustainable human-wildlife coexistence.