There are 45 villages along the stretch of Balukhand-Konark Sanctuary working towards coastal plantations and forest management. The villagers have been actively protecting the forests and wildlife of the sanctuary. The villagers were part of the Forest protection Committees (FPCs) from 1996 to 2002, which were then dissolved and Eco-development Committees (EDCs) were set up. Consequently the same villagers became part of the EDCs. The good protection work of the villagers in preventing the poaching of animals has also led to the steady improvement of the habitat and wildlife of the said sanctuary, in which the main species are spotted deer and blackbuck.