Human behavior, while responsible for the exploitation of wildlife, also represents the means by which mitigation efforts and policy will more readily succeed. For example, demand for wildlife and products derived from illegal... [ view full abstract ]
Human behavior, while responsible for the exploitation of wildlife, also represents the means by which mitigation efforts and policy will more readily succeed. For example, demand for wildlife and products derived from illegal harvest and trade continues to be a pertinent issue for global wildlife conservation, biodiversity, economic security, and public health. In recent years, governments and non-governmental organizations have increasingly recognized the significance of consumer demand, and its inherent social elements, as a fundamental driver of illegal wildlife trade (IWT). While this recognition has initiated a shift in perspectives towards consumer demand, most conventional policies to reduce IWT do not incorporate relevant theories and methods from science and practice to address social drivers of IWT. In this paper, we review social influence and behavior change methods, and present conservation marketing (ConsMark) as an essential and complementary perspective to understand and address the most salient driver of IWT, human behavior. We briefly present an overview of recent wildlife trade research and policy trends unfolding within conservation and political spheres. We then review relevant theories and methods associated with social influence and behavior change methods. Finally, we introduce a ConsMark framework, which draws on social marketing principles and methods to, for example, (1) identify a specific behavior or set of behaviors related to the desired outcome or benefits, (2) uncover barriers to and/or benefits of the behavior(s), (3) develop strategies or design a program to overcome barriers or promote benefits, (4) pilot the selected strategy or program, and then (5) broadly implement and evaluate the strategy or program. More generally, ConsMark utilizes a combination of social science theory and social marketing practices to understand barriers to socially desirable behavior while providing the means to evaluate and implement needed change, either alone or in tandem with ongoing IWT strategies and policy. Our review illustrates the usefulness of a ConsMark, behavior-focused perspectives to reduce demand for illegally harvested wildlife, which, inherently, requires changing human behavior.
