Click the star to add/remove an item to/from your individual schedule.
You need to be logged in to avail of this functionality,
and to see the links to virtual rooms.
Log in
Accepted Paper:
Michelle Szydlowski (University of Exeter)
Paper short abstract:
The conservation of elephants (especially when driven by those from non-range countries) is made more complex in cultures where ‘owning’ individuals is widely accepted. How can a wide variety of stakeholders find common ground upon which to build conservation plans amidst shifting social pressures?
Paper long abstract:
Endangered Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) find themselves at the centre of debates involving land use, human-wildlife conflict, and environmental justice (Kopnina, 2016; West et al., 2006). In range states such as Nepal, ‘owning’ individuals for use in tourism, worship, or co-work is common practice (see Locke, 2016). Human perspectives on the ethics of using animals for tourism are changing, even in areas heavily reliant on the tourism industry for survival (Newsome and Hughes, 2016). These debates become inflamed when non-residents take on adversarial positions despite an acceptance of the ‘ownership’ or ‘use’ of endangered individuals among local communities. Novel approaches are needed if there is any hope of establishing a common ground upon which to build relationships which may benefit community members, international interests and endangered individuals.
Kopnina, H. (2016) Wild Animals and Justice: The Case of the Dead Elephant in the Room. Journal of International Wildlife Law & Policy. 19(3):219-235.
Locke, P. (2016) Animals, Persons, Gods: Negotiating Ambivalent Relationships with Captive Elephants in Chitwan, Nepal. In Conflict, Negotiation, and Coexistence: Rethinking Human-Elephant Relations in South Asia. Oxford University Press.
Newsome, D. and Hughes, M. (2016) Understanding the impacts of ecotourism on biodiversity: a multiscale, cumulative issue influenced by perceptions and politics. D. Geneletti (ed.). Handbook on biodiversity and ecosystem services in impact assessment (276-298). Cheltenham. Edward Elgar Publishing.
West, P., Igoe, J. and Brockington, D. (2006). Parks and peoples: the social impact of protected areas. Annual Review of Anthropology. 35:251-277.
Research outside the box: novel approaches to wicked conservation problems and wildlife protection
Session 1 Friday 29 October, 2021, -