Fifteenth International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability

Abstract

Understanding the relations between humans and wildlife is a key topic in developing effective strategies in biodiversity conservation. One of the major points of this topic is to know the different criteria surrounding preferences for species in order to include those arguments in designing communication programs and policy making processes. In order to explore arguments behind public preferences for species, we conduct a study in an Andean sector in central Chile consulting locals and visitors (n=224) about their preferences for several species including native and exotic ones and about the capacity of those species in delivering different benefits. We aim to explore the relations between species that are preferred to be protected and species perceived as contributors to human well-being. Preliminary results show that species preferred to be protected are not necessarily those identified as the best providers of benefits to humans. Preferences for species to be protected seem to be guided by aesthetics and symbolic criteria. With our findings, we aim to contribute to the literature on human dimensions of wildlife which is scarce in Latin America.