Local Awareness and Interpretations of Species Extinction in a Rural Chinese Biodiversity Hotspot

Abstract

Incorporating local perspectives is fundamental to evidence-based conservation, for both understanding complex socio-ecological systems and implementing appropriate management interventions. How local communities understand extinction, and whether these views affect perceptions of biodiversity loss and the effect of anthropogenic activities, has rarely been evaluated explicitly in conservation projects. To target this data gap, we conducted 185 interviews to assess levels and patterns of understanding about wildlife decline and extinction in rural communities around Bawangling National Nature Reserve, Hainan, China, a priority conservation site that has experienced recent species losses. Interviewees showed varying awareness of declines and extirpation of local wildlife species. Two-thirds did not consider the permanent disappearance of wildlife to be possible; among those who did, only one-third could comprehend the scientific term “extinction.” Thinking extinction is possible was associated with identifying declined and extirpated species, but not with perceiving locally-driven human activities, such as hunting, as the reason for wildlife loss. The government was seen as the entity most responsible for conservation. Variation found around local perceptions of extinction, its drivers, and conservation responsibility demonstrates that comprehension of key conservation concepts should not be assumed to be homogenous, highlighting the challenge of transposing scientific concepts between different social and cultural settings. Proactively incorporating local perspectives and worldviews, especially by obtaining context-specific baseline understandings, has major implications for other contexts worldwide and should inform conservation planning and management.

Integrating biodiversity conservation and local community perspectives in China through human dimensions research

“…the deep‐rooted preference for using wild rather than cultivated components in Traditional Chinese Medicine) may not achieve the goal of promoting nature‐friendly behaviours (Thomas‐Walters et al, 2020). For example, investigation of local environmental perceptions has revealed that most Indigenous communities living adjacent to the last Hainan gibbon population do not appreciate that species can become extinct, highlighting the need to develop locally appropriate educational programmes to promote environmental awareness (Ma et al, 2021).…”

“…Current knowledge gaps include details of local-scale community interactions with their natural environments, the identification of drivers of rural behaviours that impact biodiversity, and whether such harmful interactions can be mitigated while also supporting vulnerable communities. Furthermore, gaps also exist in understanding local For example, investigation of local environmental perceptions has revealed that most Indigenous communities living adjacent to the last Hainan gibbon population do not appreciate that species can become extinct, highlighting the need to develop locally appropriate educational programmes to promote environmental awareness (Ma et al, 2021).…”

Local ecological knowledge and regional sighting histories of Hainan Peacock-pheasant Polyplectron katsumatae: pessimism or optimism for a threatened island endemic?

“…The primary aim was to collect LEK on several local wildlife species (Ma et al . 2021; Appendix S1 in the online supplementary material).…”

“…2017, Ma et al . 2021, Wang et al . 2021); a full-model approach rather than a model-selection approach was therefore used (Zuur et al .…”

“…(1) Interviews were conducted by five interviewers between 27 February and 1 April 2019 around Bawangling National Nature Reserve, in all 30 villages situated within 3 km of the reserve boundary. The primary aim was to collect LEK on several local wildlife species (Ma et al 2021; Appendix S1 in the online supplementary material).…”