NSMC case study on use of social marketing for tiger conservation in Laos

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The Nam Et Phou Louey National Protected Areain the Lao People’s Democratic Republic contains the last confirmed breeding population of tigers (Panthera tigris) in Indochina. There are two main threats to tigers, direct killing of tigers and the illegal hunting of wild ungulates, the tigers’ principle prey. Villagers living around the National Protected Area rely on these same ungulates as an important source of protein in their daily diet. The illegal hunting of tigers and prey for commercial trade is unsustainable and is driven by a lack of ownership by local villagers who engage in illegal activities and by government agencies that do not enforce the laws. To reduce these threats the Nam Et Phou Louey National Protected Area is using a social marketing campaign in parallel with traditional enforcement to change the behavior of illegal hunters, village members, and government officials. To determine campaign effectiveness, a survey instrument was developed to measure knowledge, attitudes and behavior change, which included both a control and pre and post surveys of target audiences. The pre and post surveys indicate a significant shift along the theory of change from knowledge to behavior change. The assumption is that over time this shift will also lead to threat reduction to, and thus increase of, tiger and prey populations. S. Saypanya, T. Hansel, A. Johnson, A. Bianchessi & B. Sadowsky/ Conservation Evidence (2013) 57‐66
Wildlife: Tigers
Language: EN - English
Country: Ecuador