Conservation of ungulates like the blackbucks comes with its own set of problems. These animals cause significant damage to the standing crop. The community appears to be more tolerant of the damage caused by the blackbuck as compared to the other animals, since they consider this loss as a religious donation. However, increasing pressure on land (due to increased requirement of foodgrains for the growing population, conversion of crop areas into orchards and division of landholdings with increasing family size) have led to conflict situation with animals, especially the nilgai, for which there is no natural predator in the area. Reportedly, this conflict is slowly beginning to weaken the Bishnois’ commitment to protecting the animals. They still would not think of killing them but they do shoo them away from their own fields, with their neighbours probably shooing them back!
Since the Bishnois do not kill any animal, the increasing numbers of feral dogs in the sanctuary poses a serious threat to the blackbuck populations. Local people feel that effective methods to control the dog population in the area need to be devised. The dogs feed on blackbuck fawns as they are small in size but do not attack the fawns of nilgai because of their larger size. This is another reason for the increase in the number of nilgai as compared to the blackbuck.
A broad water-drainage channel, constructed by the irrigation department, has divided the area into two parts despite a Bishnoi protest. This has restricted the movement of blackbuck in the sanctuary and could adversely affect their distribution and reproductive habits. Additionally, there is an increasing trend to establish narma and kinnow crops (orchards). Such gardens are affecting the habitat of the blackbucks.
Despite all the above problems the community members still propagate conservation values. They express their limitations due to financial and language constraints, which restricts them from spreading the message of conservation to a wider audience. They are still in unison in wholeheartedly saving the blackbucks, nilgai and green trees. But this enthusiasm seems to be much higher among the elders in the community rather than the younger generation, who are less tolerant towards the damages caused by the wild ungulates.