Flagship species

The effect of knowledge, species aesthetic appeal, familiarity and conservation need on willingness to donate

NEW PAPER! Out in Animal Conservation and led by Piia Lundberg, this research looks into the drivers of online donations for species and ecosystem conservation in Finland. See the abstract below and get the PDF here: https://goo.gl/tN5TtS Abstract Environmental non‐governmental organizations (ENGOs) largely select flagship species for conservation marketing based on their aesthetic appeal. However, … [Read more…]

When donors are distracted, flagships matter (a lot) less

NEW RESEARCH! Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) play a key role in biodiversity conservation. The majority of these organisations rely on public donations to fund their activities, and therefore fundraising success is a determinant of conservation outcomes. In spite of this integral relationship, the key principals for fundraising success in conservation are still guided by expert opinion … [Read more…]

The CITES COP and the future of rhinos

The upcoming CITES COP has led to a lot of discussion around proposals to legalize the trade in rhino horn. I was interviewed by “El Español”, a large digital Spanish newspaper for an article entitled El futuro del rinoceronte, un asunto de cuernos . I was asked questions about the trade in synthetic rhino horn … [Read more…]

Understanding what matters for local communities is key to conserving tigers

Conserving biodiversity in human-dominated regions of the world is complex, particularly in case of large carnivores where perceived conflicts exist with economic development, expanding human populations and livelihoods. In a new paper I co-authored with Abishek Harihar and Douglas MacMillan, we used choice modelling to understand the preferences of local communities and explore alternative strategies … [Read more…]

Fieldwork: Flagships of Brazil

Some of my PhD fieldwork has been recently featured in a online interview by James Borrell (jamesborrell.com). In it I give some details on what I have been up to and some tips on carrying out fieldwork in this part of the globe. Read it all here! Many thanks to James for the opportunity!  

Study uncovers “cinderella species”for promoting conservation

Images of tigers and elephants are among the most common threatened mammals used by conservation organisations as ‘flagships’ to promote fundraising – but new research led by the University suggests that other threatened ‘Cinderella species’ could prove equally effective. At the moment, only 80 flagship species are used by these NGOs, and more than 60% … [Read more…]

Marine flagships: The case of the giant Squid

I was the lead author on a correspondence piece entitled “Selecting marine invertebrate flagship species: Widening the net”, published in the lastest issue of Biological Conservation. This piece is a reflection on the selection of conservation flagship species for groups traditionally deemed less charismatic. Read it here! This correspondence piece was a reply to the … [Read more…]