Research has found that zoo visits can enhance conservation intentions. The current research (N = 200) examined possible explanations for this relationship by conducting correlational research in...Show moreResearch has found that zoo visits can enhance conservation intentions. The current research (N = 200) examined possible explanations for this relationship by conducting correlational research in the form of an online survey. It was expected that positive affective responses towards zoo animals would enhance conservation intentions. Positive affective responses, in turn, were expected to be predicted by proximity to the animals, interaction with the animals, and active animal behavior. The results of this study confirmed all these expectations, but also showed that proximity, interaction, and pacing predicted negative affective responses, which in turn led to higher conservation intentions. This study thus provided a new insight, namely that affective responses in general can enhance conservation intentions. Zoos could stimulate affective responses by enriching the animal habitats, so that the animals show more active behavior, or by enabling consumers to get closer to the animals.Show less
This thesis is an initial attempt to investigate the Chinese perspective in the ivory trade debate, which often falls short in Western representations. The author used a qualitative analysis of...Show moreThis thesis is an initial attempt to investigate the Chinese perspective in the ivory trade debate, which often falls short in Western representations. The author used a qualitative analysis of various sources such as white papers, academic articles, newspaper articles and websites in order to analyse Western depictions of the Chinese role in the ivory trade, which were then contrasted with a Chinese actors' depiction of their involvement and motivations. Finally the thesis discusses NGO awareness campaigns aimed at Chinese consumers. Through the analysis it was found that NGOs generally take into account Chinese customs and realities in their targeted campaigns. It was furthermore concluded that the depiction of China's voracious ivory consumers does not reflect the reality, as the extent of consumption is overemphasized due to China's population size.Show less
Master thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)
open access
Conservation discourse continues to shift, which is apparent in a Tanzanian context. In the past, conservation discourse relied solely on biology, focusing primarily on the idea that nature and...Show moreConservation discourse continues to shift, which is apparent in a Tanzanian context. In the past, conservation discourse relied solely on biology, focusing primarily on the idea that nature and culture must be kept separate. This is known as a “fortress” approach to conservation. Although the biology behind such initiatives was right, conservation continued to fail. Therefore, a new paradigm developed: community-based conservation (CBC). This new model of conservation concentrated on community-centered initiatives, where biological and social benefits were the main objective. In Tanzania, a conservation policy change in 1998 introduced Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) to the nation - a form of CBC. A WMA intends to empower communities and allow them to have control over their own conservation initiatives. This ethnography explored how the implementation of a WMA in a Maa-speaking pastoralist community related to national WMA discourse. Through qualitative methods with a research assistant translating Swahili and Maa to English, evidence was provided that the national WMA discourse is perceived differently in a Maa-speaking pastoralist setting. Furthermore, the persistence of a “fortress approach” to conservation continues to be apparent in the WMA discourse through a separation of livestock and wildlife. Lastly, a new paradigm shift should be considered, where an emphasis on the intrinsic value of natural resources should be at the core of the conservation practice. Only by understanding such a shift can conservation initiatives in a Maa-speaking pastoralist setting be successful.Show less
Less-developed countries are restricted in effectively funding the conservation of their cultural landscape heritage sites. Other sources of funds are needed to complement government spending. One...Show moreLess-developed countries are restricted in effectively funding the conservation of their cultural landscape heritage sites. Other sources of funds are needed to complement government spending. One possibility is finding ways to use the benefits that cultural landscapes provide. The ecosystem services framework, which was originally used by nature conservationists, could be a useful analytical concept. In this approach, benefits from environments are divided into different types of ecosystem services. By integrating the different kinds of benefits in one framework, new and old possibilities can be analysed. As a case study, the Ifugao Rice Terraces World Heritage site will be analysed. Besides the agricultural products provided by the IRT, the Ifugao agricultural system also has other benefits. However, more and more terraces are abandoned and deteriorating. This is attributed to the insufficient income of the local Ifugao farmers. The yield of their fields has decreased due to the lack of maintenance of their terraces and irrigation systems, which they are not able to fund themselves. At the same time, their changing socio-economic needs require a higher income as well. As a result, many Ifugao migrate to other regions for higher wages. To increase the income of the Ifugao, cultural and regulating ecosystem services become additional sources of income. Cultural services are already being exploited by tourism, but its earning potential has not yet been reached. Tourism is highly concentrated in one rice terrace cluster, so tourism could be expanded to the other clusters. In addition, regional tourist taxation could be implemented. To exploit regulating ecosystems, a Payment for Ecosystem Services scheme has to be created. This can be done on a global scale through carbon sequestration, or on a regional or local scale through hydrological services. However, relying on these sources of income comes with its own set of problems. Despite this, the financing potential of the ecosystem services too substantial to ignore and I think they may contribute significantly to the conservation of cultural landscape heritage sites.Show less
