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Study area of the Bardenas Reales Natural Park and Reserve of Biosphere (northern Spain) and a breeding adult Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) with the locations of the surveys to different stakeholders groups. Surveys to livestock keepers were performed widespread within the protected area whereas the rest of stakeholders were also questioned at particular sites (e.g. scenic view point, information center of the park and nearest towns, see details at Supplementary material) because no human permanent settlements exist inside the Protected Area. The borders of the Protected Area are represented by a dashed line. The rectangle delimits a military area. (For interpretation of the references to color in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the web version of this ar
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The inclusion of perceptions, interests and needs of stakeholders in biodiversity conservation is critical for the long-term protection of endangered species. Yet, the social dimensions of endangered species conservation are often overlooked. We examined the social perceptions of the conservational importance of the globally endangered Egyptian vul...
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... According to some studies, LEK can be a source of valuable biological information on species abundance, population trends and human-wildlife conflicts Fopa et al., 2020;Gebo et al., 2022;Kamgang et al., 2021;Teixeira et al., 2021;Zayonc & Coomes, 2022). Furthermore, by providing information on nocturnal, elusive or data-deficient species and threats (Marneweck et al., 2021;Mouafo et al., 2021), LEK can inform management activities (Cortés-Avizanda et al., 2018). LEK, like other forms of citizen science diverges from formal scientific approaches by integrating the daily experiences of local communities in their ecosystems. ...
Local ecological knowledge (LEK), tied to specific cultures, is crucial for sustainability in conservation initiatives. Therefore, including holders of this knowledge in management decisions is essential. Collecting protected area‐specific data on local people's attitudes, opinions and perceptions towards wildlife, especially for highly threatened species like great apes, is therefore crucial for effective conservation. This study emphasizes the importance of LEK as an interdisciplinary approach, highlighting its essential role in informing conservation decisions and understanding human–environment interactions.
To fill the information gap on the LEK on the Nigeria‐Cameroon chimpanzee in central Cameroon, we used questionnaires to assess the LEK of respondents specifically their perceptions, opinions and attitudes towards the population trend of chimpanzees, as well as their opinion about the current management systems of Mpem and Djim National Park. We collect data from 240 respondents in 15 villages in the neighbourhood of the park. Using generalized linear mixed models, we were also able to assess socioeconomic and demographic factors that correlate with the opinions, attitudes and perceptions of the respondents towards chimpanzee conservation.
About 87% of the respondents exhibited good knowledge about chimpanzees and 59% reported taboos related to chimpanzees. About 94% were aware of laws that prohibit the hunting of chimpanzees, while 87% agreed that it is a good initiative to conserve chimpanzees, and 42% reported that their population increased. Almost half (52%) of the respondents said they were satisfied with the current park management system. Age, gender, education level, number of children in the household and time spent in the community were predictors that influenced the attitude, opinion and perception of the respondents while occupation and the geographic distance between the village and the park did not.
Our findings suggest that raising awareness of human–chimpanzee coexistence through adult education programmes should target specific demographic groups, such as those with larger families, limited education, older age, individuals with lower LEK or native. These findings brought insights to guide future studies and should be taken into account when discussing regional management.
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... We also found that there is a positive relationship between knowledge of species and the age of the respondents. These results coincide with those of previous research, which states that elderly people have more ecological knowledge than their younger counterparts (Cortés-Avizanda et al. 2018). This could be because of a decline in the transfer of intergenerational knowledge, in combination with cumulative learning (i.e., the process by which people accumulate knowledge and abilities). ...
... Previous research has suggested that stakeholders' perception of an endangered species conservation importance could be related to their level of experience or local ecological knowledge [25]. However, environmental knowledge should be considered a necessary, but not sufficient, precondition to predict adequate conservation behavior among the public [62]. ...
... This could be helpful also in determining if concrete actions in favor of conservation are likely to be taken by different stakeholders in the future. Since conservation actions suggested by stakeholders in the present study can be linked to their direct and personal experience [25], future education activities in Monte Barro Park should try to fill this gap by providing explicit examples of what visitors could do in favor of freshwater species conservation. Education initiatives focused on crayfish species can help to establish them as examples of native and alien species, building a more aware perception in the general public, as suggested by Lipták et al. [33]. ...
Human dimensions in endangered species conservation are often overlooked. However, including human dimensions in conservation projects can help conservationists integrate social and ecological dimensions and investigate individual or society’s perspectives toward conservation efforts. The aim of this study was to investigate how visitors of a protected area perceived the conservation of the native white-clawed crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes), a species recently brought to disappearance by the introduction of the spiny-cheek crayfish (Faxonius limosus). From August to October 2017, we distributed a questionnaire to park visitors, aiming to: (i) identify behaviors that could affect the conservation of the native crayfish after reintroduction; (ii) investigate if visitors’ awareness and knowledge of native freshwater crayfish may increase approval for conservation initiatives. Of the 290 respondents, most (73%) had never heard of alien species. The respondents’ inclination to be favorable to resource investment and alien crayfish eradication and to perform specific educational training was significantly related to their knowledge of crayfish features. Knowledge of freshwater crayfish features resulted in being a main determinant in affecting visitors’ attitudes towards conservation initiatives. These results confirm that visitors’ awareness can increase approval for conservation programs and the importance of investigating the proper human dimensions before establishing management actions for endangered species.
... Conservation experts recently argued that the principle of conservation should shift from pure nature conservation to the maintenance or achievement of a better relationship between people and nature (Mace, 2014;Mascia et al., 2003). It has been gradually acknowledged that conservation is about both biodiversity and people (Cortés-Avizanda et al., 2018). This main change in the framing of conservation emphasizes the need to take the human dimension into account in wildlife conservation (Bennett et al., 2017;Sandbrook et al., 2013), highlighting the importance and influence of various stakeholders' attitudes and knowledge on wildlife conservation (Cortés-Avizanda et al., 2018;Mace, 2014), particularly from key stakeholders (Cortés-Avizanda et al., 2022;Dai, 2022). ...
... It has been gradually acknowledged that conservation is about both biodiversity and people (Cortés-Avizanda et al., 2018). This main change in the framing of conservation emphasizes the need to take the human dimension into account in wildlife conservation (Bennett et al., 2017;Sandbrook et al., 2013), highlighting the importance and influence of various stakeholders' attitudes and knowledge on wildlife conservation (Cortés-Avizanda et al., 2018;Mace, 2014), particularly from key stakeholders (Cortés-Avizanda et al., 2022;Dai, 2022). ...
Incorporating local farmers' perceptions into conservation management has great significance because they have become the key stakeholders in wildlife conservation, especially that of waterbirds. The Black-necked Crane (Grus nigricollis) interacts closely with local farmers throughout its distribution, resulting in human–bird conflict. The evaluation of ecosystem services/disservices among local populations should help to address this relationship. We examined local farmers' perceptions of agreement with the ecosystem services and disservices provided by the Black-necked Crane in one of its large wintering sites by conducting semi-structured interviews with farmers around Caohai Wetland in Guizhou Province, China. The influences of socio-demographic variables, ecological knowledge, and attitude on farmers' agreement with ecosystem services and disservices were explored by generalized linear mixed models. Most of the farmers perceived a few benefits from the Black-necked Crane, whereas approximately one-third of them regarded the species as harmful. The most mentioned service was aesthetic value, followed by leisure and ecotourism, and therapeutic value, while crop consumption was the most commonly mentioned disservice. Their levels of agreement with services were associated with attitude and age, while those with disservices were determined by education attainment and household size. Local government and conservation organizations could use social media platforms, such as TikTok and WeChat, to convey information on the benefits or ecosystem services provided by the black-necked crane, and ecological compensation could be implemented to alleviate farmer–bird conflict. This study demonstrated the significance of the inclusion of local stakeholders and ecosystem service evaluation in conservation management. This framework can be applied to other protected species or ecosystems facing similar situations.
... Since the creation of the first protected natural spaces, protected areas and other natural spaces have fulfilled different social and economic functions (Ávila-López and Pinkus-Rendón, 2018;Jones et al., 2020a). It ranges from conserving flora and fauna species (Caruso et al., 2020;Cortés-Avizanda et al., 2018), conserving hotspot biodiversity (Crist et al., 2021), taking care of recreational spaces (Allendorf et al., 2014) and improving the livelihoods of the community (McClanahan et al., 2008). ...
This paper conducts a systematic review of the literature (SRL) to update the relevance of social perception (SP) for managing protected areas and conservation spaces that contribute to global and regional efforts to conserve biological diversity and natural resources. Despite their importance, these areas often face complex and conflictive situations between the interest groups of the communities located within or adjacent to them. Therefore, and departing from an SRL, this paper aims to answer the main question about the sociodemographic elements that affect the SP related to protected areas. The results indicate that household income and education are linked to behaviors favoring conservation. Likewise, dissatisfaction regarding social well-being, access to natural resources and management generate behaviors that negatively affect the SP about the conservation role of protected areas. Managers must consider community participation to promote behaviors linked to compliance with regulations in favor of protected areas.
... Benefits derived from coexisting with wildlife can play a key role in shaping local people's perceptions and attitudes towards biodiversity and its conservation (Partasasmita et al. 2016;Ehlers-Smith et al. 2021). Different population groups, such as farmers and tourists, appreciate vultures for providing niche-based provisioning, regulatory and cultural ecosystem services (Cortés-Avizanda et al. 2018;Garcia-Jimenez et al. 2021). Many of our study participants derived benefits from the occurrence of vultures in their environments. ...
... Local Summary people's awareness and familiarity with vulturesThe present study builds on assessments of public perceptions about vultures conducted in parts of southern Africa(Mdhlano et al. 2018;Craig et al. 2018;Mashele et al. 2021a) and southwest Europe(Cortés-Avizanda et al. 2018;Morales-Reyes et al. 2018;Oliva-Vidal et al. 2022). It is the first of its kind in KwaZulu-Natal, an important ecological zone for vultures. ...
Vultures are presently the most threatened raptor guild in the world. Threats to vultures are numerous and mainly anthropogenic. Understanding human communities' relationship with threatened species can guide and strengthen conservation initiatives. We assessed the awareness, benefits, beliefs, threats, and conservation perspectives of people surrounding protected areas accommodating the few remaining vulture strongholds in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. We conducted a total of 450 semi-structured interviews and seven focus group discussions. Respondents demonstrated a strong awareness of vultures and reportedly derived benefits from having these avian scavengers in their localities. The most cited benefit (65%) was carrion removal. A predominant belief amongst local people was that vultures are potent in traditional medicine (66%); this was regarded by the majority of respondents (79%) as the main driver for the illegal killing of vultures. Most participants (84%) viewed vulture populations to have declined. Overall, local people demonstrated complex but predominantly positive perceptions towards vultures. Mounting evidence of the use of vultures in traditional medicine compels urgent action. We recommend co-learning-based engagements between resource users and conservation scientists.
... Understanding local people's perceptions on natural resource availability is important for implementing appropriate conservation actions. Indeed capitalizing on various social perceptions of a particular endangered species can contribute to its conservation (Cortés-Avizanda et al., 2018). Our study revealed that half of the informants reported a declining trend of Borassus akeassii populations in concordance with the field-based statement of the population structure. ...
Borassus akeassii is one of the most common fan palms in West and Central Africa. In Burkina Faso, the species regenerates in the wild and is kept on farms by local people because of its high usefulness. It is used mainly by local communities for palm wine production and basket-making. We investigated the population dynamics and the local conservation status of Borassus akeassii in order to provide tools for the sustainable management of the species. People (n= 233) from five different ethnic groups were interviewed and their perceptions and conservation practices of the species were determined and compared between socio-demographic groups. For field measurement of the species populations, 30 inventory plots of 50 × 50 m size were used to collect data on individual life stage, sex, and exploitation state. Data were used to estimate the densities, the sex ratio, the regeneration and mortality rates and to calculate the permutation index (P), the Simpson’s dominance index (S), and the quotient (Q) between consecutive life stages of populations. This information provides highly condensed indices of population dynamics acting over many years. The results showed that 53% of informants report a declining trend for Borassus akeassii. However, perceptions of the species dynamics varied among ethnic groups. Harvesting was the main reported cause of the species’ decline. Population densities varied among life stages, with a dominance of seedlings. The permutation index, the Simpson’s dominance index, and the quotient between consecutive life stages revealed an unstable population structure of Borassus akeassii. However, the high intensity of exploitation of individuals versus the low mortality rate suggests Borassus akeassii is being used sustainably by local people. People are aware of the species' vulnerability and adopt practices for its conservation (e.g. planting and natural assisted regeneration). Encouraging good local practices of conservation together with the high potential of regeneration could ensure sustainable use of the species in Burkina Faso. Future research should thus focus on documenting the expert knowledge on sustainable exploitation of the species as an example to be reinforced and implemented in other areas.
... To gain public support for locally adapted conservation strategies and policies, taking into account that vultures' mortalities are mainly anthropogenic, with the deliberate or accidental exposure to pesticides and poison being probably the main threats for most species (Plaza & Lambertucci, 2021;Plaza et al., 2019), it is vital to implement interdisciplinary studies and better understand the attitudes towards different species in different contexts (Ballejo et al., 2019;Cortés-Avizanda et al., 2018), especially for migratory species that are exposed to different political environments, socio-economic realities and cultural systems. We discuss the variety of conceptualisations for the critically endangered migratory Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) from its breeding to wintering areas and flyways where survival of the species is the lowest (Buechley et al., 2021). ...
Vultures constitute globally the most rapidly declining group of birds. Across their wide distribution range, they share common ecological functions and unfavourable conservation status while being associated with varying habitats, lifestyles, cultural standing, and threats. We reveal conceptualisations about the emblematic yet critically endangered Egyptian vulture along its migratory flyway from the Balkans through the Middle East to Africa. Information was gathered through interviews, focus group discussions, and market surveys, with 420 people in 11 participating countries contributing overall. Our results showed that all vultures are recognised primarily for the environmental cleaning services, but the level of awareness differs between countries. Τhe Egyptian vulture has some perceptual advantages based on its white color, migratory nature, and endangered conservation status. This underlines its suitability as a charismatic flagship species that can potentially benefit other vulture species and thus enforce broader vulture conservation initiatives.
Supplementary information:
The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10745-022-00340-6.
... Esto debido a que probablemente existe una distribución desigual de los conflictos/perjuicios de las aves rapaces entre los diferentes actores (i.e. agricultores, cazadores, observadores de aves, turistas y citadinos) (Cortés-Avizanda et al., 2018;Morales-Reyes et al., 2018), en el gradiente de las zonas rurales a ecosistemas urbanos (Bencin et al., 2016;Li et al., 2015;Nyirenda et al., 2017;White et al., 2018a;Zuluaga et al., 2021a) y en diferentes áreas geográficas (ver Arroyo et al., 2004;Donázar et al., 2016;Rollins and Carroll, 2001;Santangeli et al., 2019;Schroeder and Baydack, 2001;Valkama et al., 2005;Zuluaga et al., 2021a). Marcos interdisciplinarios como el marco socio-ecológico unificado de Servicios y Perjuicios ecosistémicos (SEEDS por sus siglas en inglés; ver Ceauşu et al., 2019) podrían ser una herramienta útil para guiar a los expertos en conservación de rapaces para este propósito. ...
Humans benefit from processes/services provided by predators and scavengers in ecosystems while at the same time they may suffer conflicts/disservices from them. Therefore, the conservation of predators and scavengers can benefit from applying interdisciplinary approaches that consider and connect the processes/services and conflicts/disservices that humans may receive from these animals. Although that approach has already been used quite a bit with terrestrial predators and scavengers, there is very little interdisciplinary research on flying predators and scavengers such as raptors. This thesis seeks to explore the socio-ecological factors that affect human-raptor relationships, evaluating the particular case of the Black-and-chestnut Eagle (Spizaetus isidori) throughout its distribution, in order to propose specific conservation measures.
The first specific goal (Chapter 1) was to assess viewpoints of the experts in raptor conservation about the main ecosystem processes/services and conflicts/disservices that raptors provide to humans and to know the main strategies that experts consider effective for management these species in the wild. For this, we conducted an online survey among raptor conservation experts from which we obtained 87 responses from six continents (i.e. North America, South America, Africa, Asia, Europe and Australia). We found that the viewpoints of the experts in raptor conservation around the world are biased towards the acceptance of processes/services rather than the acceptance of conflicts/disservices that raptors provide to humans. Nocturnal raptors (i.e. owls) were considered the species that provide most ecosystem processes/services (73%, 8 of 11), followed by vultures and condors (55%, 6 of 11), finally hawks and eagles and falcons (45%, 5 of 11 each one). According to experts, hawks and eagles were involved in the highest number of conflicts/disservices (37.5%, 3 of 8), vultures and condors and owls were involved in only one (12.5%, 1 de 8), respectively, while falcons were not involved in conflicts/disservices. Additionally, experts agreed on five management strategies that they believe are effective for promoting the conservation of raptors in the wild: two of these consider the participation of several social actors (i.e. bottom-up governance) and the rest are measures taken by governments (i.e. top-down governance).
The second specific goal (Chapter 2) was to assess the home range, mortality and habitat selection of the Black-and-chestnut-Eagle during natal dispersal in fragmented landscapes of tropical and subtropical Andean Montane Forests. We captured six fledglings in four nests (three in Colombia and one in Argentina) of three populations of the species, which were equipped with GPS transmitters with data download via GSM cell phone network (i.e. GPS/GSM loggers). From 20 months of age, mortality was very high (67%, 4 of 6), so we restricted the analyses to the first year of natal dispersal (i.e. between 8 and 20 months of age). We found that the home range of juveniles in the first year of natal dispersal is large (media ~996 km2; DE ± 606; rango = 294-2130 km2). During the process of natal dispersal, juveniles move through fragmented landscapes where, they consistently selected areas with a higher percentage of forest cover, higher slopes and medium altitudes with respect to availability. Although juveniles show some level of tolerance for moving through fragmented habitat, the mortality rate was very high. It is therefore suggested that in order to maintain viable populations and the key ecosystem processes/services provided by this top predator in the tropical and subtropical Andean forests of South America, we need to mitigate the causes of non-natural mortality.
The third specific goal (Chapter 3) was to examine the socio-ecological context that exacerbates the human-eagle conflict in rural communities of the eastern Andes of Colombia. We conducted 172 surveys in 20 rural communities and estimated the proportion of forest cover on each rural community (i.e. amount of remaining native forest), human density, and annual losses of domestic birds due to the Black-and-chestnut Eagle, among other socio-demographic parameters (i.e. economic activity, domestic fowl ownership, age, education, gender, etc.). We found that tolerance decreases when forest cover, human density, and annual losses of domestic birds are greater. This can make the Black-and-chestnut Eagle more vulnerable to extirpation in rural communities where forest remnants are larger. The integration of socio-ecological information allowed us to identify the rural communities with higher human-eagle conflict and thus where the conservation measures should be implemented.
The fourth specific goal (Chapter 4) was to analyze how the contributions of the Black-and-chestnut Eagle to people (perceived and real) and governance (national and local) affect the human-top predator conflict with this species in the Neotropics. The ultimate goal of governance is to manage individual behaviors and collective actions for the sustainable use of natural resources through environmental management. For this reason, this is a factor of great importance to managing human-predator conflicts. We conducted 282 surveys in rural communities around 27 nesting sites of the species in Colombia and Ecuador. We found that people's tolerance towards the eagle was negatively related to detriments (perceived and real) and disapproval of governance at the local level, but there was no influence of governance at the country level. Less than a half (40%) of interviewees disapproved of governance management at the local level. A high percentage of people showed high tolerance towards the eagle (41.13%), followed by people with a neutral position (35.46%) and finally those who indicated a low tolerance (23.41%). However, we documented human persecution of the Black-and-chestnut Eagle in most of the sampled nests (59%, 16 of 27) and in all of the assessed geographic jurisdictions. Our results suggest that systems with poor governance in other Neotropical countries, could also be negatively affecting human-predator conflicts there.
In general, each thesis chapter sought to address different socio-ecological factors that affect human-raptor relationships. These factors have historically been best known to terrestrial predators but are very little known in raptors. Therefore, the main contribution of this thesis is to provide new evidence on the importance of implementing interdisciplinary approaches to address conflicts involving raptors as the main aerial predators and scavengers in terrestrial systems. These approaches, considering the multiplicity of socio-ecological factors that interact in human-raptor relationships, increase our ability to inform decision-making and implementation of management measures, therefore, they are essential if we are to develop and implement effective conservation policies for these species in the Anthropocene.
... Species knowledge and awareness (both closely linked to human-nature relatedness and individual interest in nature and biodiversity) were recently shown to influence farmers' perceptions and local ecological knowledge about ecosystem services provided by scavengers (Morales-Reyes et al., 2018;García-Alfonso et al., 2019) and to positively influence multiple stakeholders' perceptions regarding these species (e.g. Cortés-Avizanda et al., 2018). ...
Scavengers provide significant nature's contributions to people (NCP), including disease control through carcass removal, but their non-material NCP are rarely considered. For the first time, we assess the extent and value of the NCP provided by European avian scavengers through a scavenger-based tourism at Pyrenean supplementary feeding sites (SFS). Using a two-step cluster analysis, two different types of visitor were identified (specialist avian scavenger-watchers and generalist nature-lovers) at those SFS offering recreational experiences (n = 20, i.e. birdwatching, educational, or photographic activities). Most visitors (85%) perceived avian scavengers as beneficial NCP providers, associating this guild with non-material NCP (mostly supporting identities), followed by regulating and maintenance of options NCP (<1%). Our findings help to characterize the type of people who participate in scavenger related recreation and to identify and value their perceptions of avian scavengers. There has not been much previous research on positive human-wildlife interactions, even though ignoring people emotional bonds with nature can be perilous for biodiversity conservation.
