Assessing public perception and its impact on the conservation and reintroduction of the critically endangered Philippine crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis)
(2024) BION03 20232Degree Projects in Biology
- Abstract
- The endemic Philippine crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis) is considered the most threatened crocodile species globally and is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. The species was considered extinct on Luzon Island until the discovery of a remnant population in 1999. This led to the first in-situ conservation measures and later community-based conservation. Public perception has proven highly significant in the conservation efforts of C. mindorensis. Although venerated in pre-colonial Philippines, many factors have caused respect to turn into fear. Despite current efforts, fear persists, which impedes conservation initiatives. This study aimed to provide an assessment of public perception in areas with and without... (More)
- The endemic Philippine crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis) is considered the most threatened crocodile species globally and is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. The species was considered extinct on Luzon Island until the discovery of a remnant population in 1999. This led to the first in-situ conservation measures and later community-based conservation. Public perception has proven highly significant in the conservation efforts of C. mindorensis. Although venerated in pre-colonial Philippines, many factors have caused respect to turn into fear. Despite current efforts, fear persists, which impedes conservation initiatives. This study aimed to provide an assessment of public perception in areas with and without crocodiles through interviews to deduce why people harbour fear and how it may impact conservation incentives. A total of 192 respondents were included in the analyses. Following a sentence-level sentiment analysis, respondents in areas with crocodiles were significantly more positive and accepting of reintroduction initiatives. However, a term frequency-inverse document frequency (tf-idf) analysis revealed the term “zoo” was characteristic in relation to reintroduction incentives. Contrastingly, synonyms of fear were more prominent in regions without crocodiles, significantly decreasing overall sentiment. A linear regression suggested that depictions of crocodiles on television and their physical characteristics were correlated with negative terms. While current efforts have been effective in garnering support, communities continue to harbour fear. Thus, community engagement is essential to address concerns and garner support for conservation in areas of potential reintroduction. In conclusion, the conservation of C. mindorensis requires a multifaceted approach that combines different disciplines and stakeholders. (Less)
- Popular Abstract
- The endemic Philippine crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis) is a critically endangered species with less than 150 mature individuals in the wild. The relatively small crocodilian species was once widely distributed across the Philippines. A myriad of threats such as habitat alteration and entanglement in fishing nets has restricted its distribution to only three locations. But perhaps one of the most significant effects it faces, is fear.
Rediscovering the Philippine crocodile
The species was thought extinct until the discovery of a remnant population in 1999. This led to the first in-situ conservation measures and later community-based conservation. Despite efforts, fear persisted impeding conservation work. Once a revered animal in... (More) - The endemic Philippine crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis) is a critically endangered species with less than 150 mature individuals in the wild. The relatively small crocodilian species was once widely distributed across the Philippines. A myriad of threats such as habitat alteration and entanglement in fishing nets has restricted its distribution to only three locations. But perhaps one of the most significant effects it faces, is fear.
Rediscovering the Philippine crocodile
The species was thought extinct until the discovery of a remnant population in 1999. This led to the first in-situ conservation measures and later community-based conservation. Despite efforts, fear persisted impeding conservation work. Once a revered animal in pre-colonial Philippines, is now viewed as a terrifying predator. This study aimed to provide an assessment of public perception in areas with and without crocodiles through interviews.
Understanding public perception
To understand attitudes towards crocodiles, face-to-face interviews were conducted in areas with and without crocodiles. Two surveys were used: the first explored attitudes toward breeding programmes in areas with crocodiles, and the other querying opinions about crocodiles in areas without them. Emerging themes were analysed to determine how they drove fear and shaped public opinion.
Over half of respondents in both regions expressed fear of crocodiles. Interestingly, fear persisted regardless of knowledge on benefits and intrinsic value. However, many still supported conservation initiatives recognising the potential benefits to their community and the species. In areas without crocodiles, media and physical characteristics seemed to amplify fear. Here, support for reintroduction was lower, but people emphasised the need for more information.
Changing the narrative
In pre-colonial Philippines, crocodiles were venerated as gods. But over time, they became seen as vengeful monsters, symbolizing greed and political corruption. Media, biting incidents, and physical features have only fuelled these fears, creating barriers for conservation efforts. Addressing these challenges require multifaceted approaches that integrate cultural, economic, and ethical considerations. Equipping communities with the correct knowledge of crocodiles is crucial to dispelling myths and promoting coexistence.
Conclusively, the successful conservation of the Philippine crocodile requires a holistic approach that integrates biological, social, and cultural factors. Addressing underlying drivers of conflict and fostering mutual understanding can help pave the way for a sustainable coexistence between humans and the Philippine crocodile.
MSc Project in Biology, Conservation Biology, 60 credits.
Department of Biology, Lund University
Advisor: Stephan Reber
Department of Philosophy Cognitive Science
Contributing Partners:
Mabywaya Foundation
https://www.facebook.com/mabuwaya/ (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9175880
- author
- Jarlbaek, Emma Blumensaat
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- BION03 20232
- year
- 2024
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- language
- English
- id
- 9175880
- date added to LUP
- 2024-10-02 15:19:59
- date last changed
- 2024-10-02 15:19:59
@misc{9175880,
abstract = {{The endemic Philippine crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis) is considered the most threatened crocodile species globally and is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. The species was considered extinct on Luzon Island until the discovery of a remnant population in 1999. This led to the first in-situ conservation measures and later community-based conservation. Public perception has proven highly significant in the conservation efforts of C. mindorensis. Although venerated in pre-colonial Philippines, many factors have caused respect to turn into fear. Despite current efforts, fear persists, which impedes conservation initiatives. This study aimed to provide an assessment of public perception in areas with and without crocodiles through interviews to deduce why people harbour fear and how it may impact conservation incentives. A total of 192 respondents were included in the analyses. Following a sentence-level sentiment analysis, respondents in areas with crocodiles were significantly more positive and accepting of reintroduction initiatives. However, a term frequency-inverse document frequency (tf-idf) analysis revealed the term “zoo” was characteristic in relation to reintroduction incentives. Contrastingly, synonyms of fear were more prominent in regions without crocodiles, significantly decreasing overall sentiment. A linear regression suggested that depictions of crocodiles on television and their physical characteristics were correlated with negative terms. While current efforts have been effective in garnering support, communities continue to harbour fear. Thus, community engagement is essential to address concerns and garner support for conservation in areas of potential reintroduction. In conclusion, the conservation of C. mindorensis requires a multifaceted approach that combines different disciplines and stakeholders.}},
author = {{Jarlbaek, Emma Blumensaat}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Assessing public perception and its impact on the conservation and reintroduction of the critically endangered Philippine crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis)}},
year = {{2024}},
}