<p>Sacred groves are traditional forest patches that have existed since the era of shifting cultivation, which are protected not by written laws but by cultural beliefs and practices. In recent decades, there has been a significant decline in the number of sacred groves due to urbanisation, climate change, and the erosion of cultural beliefs. This decline necessitates a scientific backdrop for future conservation efforts alongside the integration of Traditional Ecological Knowledge. This study aims to identify the factors influencing the current existence of sacred groves in Kerala and the major threats they face. The Maximum Entropy model was utilised by providing the occurrence details of surveyed sacred groves and variables addressing anthropogenic activity, environmental and climate conditions to find the major factors affecting the existence of sacred groves. The findings indicated that road density, human modification index, and annual precipitation significantly influence their occurrence. The model had an AUC value of 0.813 and a Boyce index of 0.865, indicating the robustness of the model. The primary threats to these sacred groves include infrastructure expansion, invasive species, uncontrolled growth of climbers, over-exploitation and improper waste management. These findings highlight the escalating pressures on these cultural landscapes and underscore the urgent need for integrated conservation strategies that balance cultural values with ecological sustainability. By employing spatial tools and scientific approaches, the study helps to efficiently plan the preservation of the sacred groves amidst rapid urbanisation and climate change.</p>