Understanding Social Dimensions in Wildlife Conservation: Multiple Stakeholder Views

Area of Science:

• Conservation Biology
• Human Dimensions of Wildlife Management
• Social Science Research

Background:

• Effective wildlife conservation requires understanding social dynamics.
• A conservation planning framework was used to analyze social dimensions in Kinabatangan, Sabah, Malaysia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the social dimensions of wildlife conservation in Kinabatangan, Sabah, Malaysia.
• To identify threats to successful conservation outcomes stemming from stakeholder interactions.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative approach utilizing in-depth, semi-structured interviews.
• Sixty informants were interviewed, representing diverse stakeholder groups including local communities, government, tourism, NGOs, and the private sector.

Main Results:

• Human-wildlife conflicts have decreased, but inter-stakeholder conflicts persist as a major conservation threat.
• Stakeholder perceptions of wildlife abundance often contradict scientific survey data, indicating poor communication of conservation messages.
• Orangutan and gibbon populations show significant declines (30% and 29% respectively), contrary to some stakeholder beliefs.

Conclusions:

• Improving social values and community empowerment are essential for conservation efforts.
• Conservation awareness programs need revision to effectively communicate evidence-based findings.
• Addressing stakeholder conflicts is critical for achieving successful wildlife conservation outcomes in the region.