Assessing the Effects of a Cognition-Based Education Program on Attitudes of Villagers Toward Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus) in Conflict-Prone Areas

ABSTRACT

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.

KEYWORDS:

• Elephants
• cognition
• education
• conflict
• India

Acknowledgments

The research team would like to acknowledge A Rocha India for allowing us to use their field site and aiding us in project logistics and coordination, Ratna Ghosal for her help in getting the project off the ground and her guidance throughout the project, and Robert Mitchell for his encouragement and feedback.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Eastern Kentucky University University Funded Scholarship Program [#18-103].