Using nonhuman culture in conservation requires careful and concerted action

Abstract

Discussions of how animal culture can aid the conservation crisis are burgeoning. As scientists and conservationists working to protect endangered species, we call for reflection on how the culture concept may be applied in practice. Here, we discuss both the potential benefits and potential shortcomings of applying the animal culture concept, and propose a set of achievable milestones that will help guide and ensure its effective integration existing conservation frameworks, such as Adaptive Management cycles or Open Standards.

Safeguarding human–wildlife cooperation

“…The importance of considering animal culture in biological conservation is now increasingly recognized (Brakes et al., 2019; Carvalho et al., 2022). Cultural transmission of skills required for human–wildlife cooperation is in itself important to safeguard, because it can increase resilience by stabilizing cooperative systems when participants increase or decrease in population size, and can allow their expansion into new areas (Whitehead, 2010).…”

“…In declining populations, such evidence may only become available after it is too late (Cabin, 2007). Where animal cultural transmission is suspected to play a role in highly vulnerable cases of human–wildlife cooperation, a precautionary approach would be to implement measures to safeguard cultural transmission (Carvalho et al., 2022).…”

“…Although the combination of conservation challenges faced by cases of human–wildlife cooperation is unique, the issues and strategies outlined above are consistent with recent advances in conservation. In particular, recent work has highlighted the need to consider animal culture (Brakes et al., 2019; Carvalho et al., 2022), and the interplay between local human and animal cultures (referred to as the “biocultural paradigm” in biological anthropology; Bridgewater & Rotherham, 2019; Gavin et al., 2015) in conservation decision‐making. Such interspecies cultural interactions are not restricted to human–wildlife cooperation: human cultural variation is so pervasive that it is likely that wherever animal culture exists, it will also interact with local human culture.…”

Inter-community behavioural variation confirmed through indirect methods in four neighbouring chimpanzee communities in Cantanhez NP, Guinea-Bissau

“…In a related vein, it is increasingly evident that in addition to comprehensive and up-to-date information on the species' and subspecies’ status, distribution and population trends, genetic and cultural diversity are also important to guide effective conservation activities [ 4 ]. Our research helps build baselines for chimpanzee cultural diversity in CNP and for the species as a whole which has the potential—if done carefully [ 61 ]—to be integrated into existing, evidence-based conservation frameworks.…”

Interpreting phytoliths assemblages at chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes verus) nut-cracking sites in Bossou Forest, Guinea

“…the unique cultural heritage of our close relatives to work towards ensuring the survival of as many primates as possible (Estrada et al 2017;Kühl et al 2019;Hockings and McLennon 2019;Carvalho et al 2022). This is ever more crucial and urgent for the Bossou chimpanzees who remain biogeographically isolated from most neighbouring chimpanzee communities.…”