Paper short abstract:

As human population rises and globalization disrupts local and more traditional communities, the fate of biodiversity seems condemned.

Paper long abstract:

The world's natural forests, whose rich ecosystems support wildlife and human populations, are declining and facing unprecedented changes. As human population rises and globalization disrupts local and more traditional communities around the planet, the fate of biodiversity fate seems condemned. It is people's behaviour and the economic and political factors (ethnosphere) who will determine the survival of wildlife and forests. Perceptions and attitudes towards nature are also culturally constructed. It is important to know these perceptions so that, if necessary, change may be through environmental and conservation actions. We assessed how local communities living inside the Cantanhez Forest National Park (hereafter CFNP) in Guinea-Bissau Republic (hereafter GB) perceived their faunal and floral environment. We provide a background context of GB and our study site. During data collection we used both qualitative and quantitative methods. Survey questionnaires and interviews were conducted. Regarding the way individuals perceive animals, we found that their aesthetical values of animals overlap survival/economic concerns being the most beautiful animals (e.g. gazelle) simultaneously the most edible. Chimpanzees are considered to be ugly, non-edible and are seen as the non human most similar to humans. Many respondents still can not conceive the notion of extinction (of forests and wildlife). Reasons for this will be discussed and final remarks presented.