This article details the principles of Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) and how it combines conservation and rural development, meeting the needs of both wildlife populations and human communities. The use of natural resources and maintenance of biodiversity can be complementary, especially when viewed against the larger losses to biodiversity caused by transforming natural habitats into cultivated lands. But maintenance of biodiversity can have costs for human communities. Local people often view wild animals as pest who destroy crops, raid granaries, and sometimes cause loss of life. This article explores these two sides and explores the links between villagers and scientists.