Perception and attitudes of local communities towards vertebrate fauna in the Andes of Colombia: Effects of gender and the urban/rural setting

This study aimed to assess the attitudes and perceptions of inhabitants in the Andean region of Colombia towards 17 native terrestrial vertebrate species and the associated sociodemographic factors, such as gender and locality. The data was collected through semi-structured surveys of 100 participants, and five variables were evaluated on a Likert scale measuring people’s perceptions (level of liking, medicinal use, detrimental to daily activity, disease transmission, and folklore traditions). The respondents’ attitudes were also measured by asking if they agreed that the government should protect or eradicate some species in the region. The perception of liking varied significantly between the town and the countryside for five species (eagle, owl, bat, snake, and lizard), and folklore only varying for the owl between town and countryside. The species with the highest frequency of negative perceptions were native rat, bat, and snake species, which varied according to locality and gender. Conversely, birds like the canary and hummingbird species had predominantly positive perceptions. Owl, snake, and bat species had the greatest diversity of folklore traditions, primarily associated with death and bad luck. Although most respondents supported conserving all species, there was a preference for birds and some mammals and reptiles. The study highlights the importance of understanding people’s perceptions of using charismatic species and implementing awareness campaigns on the ecological importance of species less liked by local communities. The results can guide future conservation initiatives to ensure that conservation strategies align with the attitudes and beliefs of local communities.