Community participation is fundamental to modern conservation practices because local communities serve as essential decision-makers for wildlife governance in sub-Saharan Africa. This research investigates various elements which affect community involvement in wildlife protection within the Makao Wildlife Management Area (WMA) of Tanzania. The research employs mixed-methods analysis to combine survey data and logistic regression modelling to determine how socioeconomic factors, spatial elements, and institutional frameworks affect participation. The research shows that tangible conservation benefits, including revenue sharing, employment opportunities, and development projects, enhance participation rates. Yet, human-wildlife conflicts and distance from the WMA border reduce community involvement. The research demonstrates that household attributes such as education level, income, land ownership, and household size positively affect participation because they enable socio-economic capacity for conservation involvement. Governance elements, specifically perceptions of fairness, transparency levels, and representation in local institutions, have a direct influence on participation outcomes. Participation in conservation depends on multiple factors, including incentives, institutional trust, and structural inequalities. The study promotes a shift in community-based conservation practice by moving past procedural inclusion to focus on equitable distribution of benefits and accountable governance, which requires strengthening institutional legitimacy.