Archer, LJ;
Papworth, SK;
Apale, CM;
Corona, DB;
Gacilos, JT;
Amada, RL;
Waterman, C;
(2020)
Scaling up local ecological knowledge to prioritise areas for protection: determining Philippine pangolin distribution, status and threats.
Global Ecology and Conservation
10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01395.
(In press).
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Abstract
Local ecological knowledge (LEK) can provide cost-effective baseline ecological data across large geographical areas, and is increasingly seen as an important source of information for rare and cryptic species. However, to date its use as a practical tool for prioritising conservation action is limited. Pangolins are the world’s most heavily trafficked wild mammals and all species are in decline. The Philippine pangolin (Manis culionensis) is Critically Endangered but conservation efforts are hindered by a lack of knowledge on where populations still exist and where in situ action should be prioritised. We conducted the first range-wide systematic survey for the species using household interviews (n=1,296) to provide new data on pangolin distribution, status and threats, and to assess the use of LEK for highlighting priority areas for conservation. LEK about pangolins was high (87% of respondents recognised pangolins and provided further information), with evidence of pangolin occurrence in 17 of the 18 municipalities surveyed. The majority (70%) of respondents had seen a pangolin, but most (72%) perceived pangolins to be ‘rare’ or ‘very rare’, and local use of pangolins was reported across the species’ range. Spatial differences in sighting frequencies, perceived abundance and reported population trends were observed, providing an important baseline to identify priority sites for targeted research and community-based pangolin conservation.
Type: | Article |
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Title: | Scaling up local ecological knowledge to prioritise areas for protection: determining Philippine pangolin distribution, status and threats |
Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
DOI: | 10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01395 |
Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01395 |
Language: | English |
Additional information: | This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in the credit line; if the material is not included under the Creative Commons license, users will need to obtain permission from the license holder to reproduce the material. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
Keywords: | Local Ecological Knowledge; Palawan; Pangolins; Philippines; Population baselines; Spatial prioritisation |
UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences > Div of Biosciences |
URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10116922 |
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