CONSERVATION and BEHAVIOUR

Flagship species are extensively used to raise money and support for conservation, so there is substantial research on which species attract donations. However, there is still more to learn! Recently, Sarah Papworth was awarded a National Geographic grant to further investigate why some species are more popular than others. The project started in April 2019 and you can find more information on the  dedicated page.

 

Previous research on this theme by the Conservation and Behaviour lab looked at the impact of providing information on the decisions made by potential conservation donors. The research was conducted by Polly Curtin as her final year undergraduate research project at Royal Holloway. Polly is really interested in marine conservation, and passionate about sharks, which are sometimes overlooked compared to other marine animals which are considered more charismatic. Polly wanted to understand more about who might donate to shark conservation, and if it would be possible to persuade more people to support shark conservation. There is a short video about the main findings of the research below, or you can read the full article by clicking here.