Department of Psychology, Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, USA.
A Rocha India, Karnataka, Bilwaradahalli, India.
J Appl Anim Welf Sci. 2022 Oct-Dec;25(4):368-381. doi: 10.1080/10888705.2021.1902812. Epub 2021 Apr 8.
A vital role in mitigating human-elephant conflict (HEC) involves conservation education programs in local communities. It is therefore important to assess the types of information that make conservation education programs effective. Given the public's fascination with animal minds, the elephant being a cognitively complex species, and the high occurrence of HEC surrounding Asian elephants, the current research assessed whether using information on elephant cognition in a conservation education program increased positive attitudes toward elephants/elephant conservation in Bannerghatta National Park (BNP). BNP, located in Karnataka, India, is an area reporting high HEC. Results indicated no significant difference in adult male villagers' attitudes toward elephants/elephant conservation when exposed to one of two educational programs, one of which included information on elephant cognition. However, a significant difference in attitudes between the two programs and a control group was discovered, suggesting the importance of an educational intervention in the communities surrounding BNP.
在减轻人与大象冲突（HEC）方面，一个至关重要的角色是在当地社区开展保护教育项目。因此，评估使保护教育项目有效的信息类型非常重要。考虑到公众对动物思维的兴趣，大象作为一种认知复杂的物种，以及亚洲象周围 HEC 的高发率，当前的研究评估了在保护教育项目中使用有关大象认知的信息是否会增加班加罗尔国家公园（BNP）对大象/大象保护的积极态度。班加罗尔国家公园位于印度卡纳塔克邦，是一个报告 HEC 发生率较高的地区。结果表明，当接触到两个教育项目中的一个时，成年男性村民对大象/大象保护的态度没有显著差异，其中一个项目包括了有关大象认知的信息。然而，在两个项目和对照组之间发现了态度的显著差异，这表明在 BNP 周围社区进行教育干预的重要性。
