Prioritise 'charismatic' species such as otters, pangolins in conserving wildlife, say Singapore researchers
Prioritise 'charismatic' species such as otters, pangolins in conserving wildlife, say Singapore researchers
Clockwise from top left: A Malayan Colugo, a Sunda Pangolin, an otter, a Raffles' banded langur and a common palm civet.
- Scientists in Singapore propose focusing conservation efforts on "charismatic" species, like otters and pangolins, due to significant biodiversity loss
- Charismatic species are those that attract public interest because of their cultural or aesthetic appeal
- Prioritising charismatic species such as langurs and hornbills is suggested as they can adapt to urban landscapes with proper support
- Experts TODAY spoke to stress the need to balance conservation strategies, nurturing compassion and stewardship for all forms of life, regardless of charisma
SINGAPORE — With an estimated 37 per cent of Singapore’s biodiversity having been lost in the last 200 years, scientists have proposed prioritising “charismatic” species in conservation efforts.
Charismatic species, as defined in a recent report by the National University of Singapore (NUS), are those that attract more public interest due to their aesthetic appeal or cultural significance. One ecology expert told TODAY: "If the reaction to seeing one is 'wow' or 'aw' or 'cute', it is charismatic."
In Singapore’s context, these species would include otters, langurs, pangolins, hornbills and butterflies, among others.
The report, published in scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in December 2023, suggested focusing on these medium-sized species as they can adapt to urbanised landscapes with proper conservation support.
Leading a team of researchers in compiling the data, Associate Professor Ryan Chisholm from NUS' Department of Biological Sciences explained that charismatic species could act as an “umbrella” species in conservation.
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“(This means) that the policies we devise to protect charismatic species will incidentally protect other species as well,” he told TODAY.
Using India to illustrate his point, Assoc Prof Chisholm said India has set aside reserves to protect tigers, and because these reserves are typically large, they protect many other species as well.
“The risk is that some threatened species' ranges will not coincide with those of charismatic species, and these species may be neglected as a result of the focus on charismatic species,” he said.
Non-charismatic species would include insect and plant species that are mostly unknown to the vast majority, as well as inconspicuous mammal and bird species, he added.
Asked if adopting such a strategy would mean neglecting or overlooking non-charismatic species, Assoc Prof Chisholm said that in an ideal world, there would be sufficient conservation funding and public support for tailored conservation plans for all threatened species.
This may be feasible in regions with low deforestation, a low number of threatened species and high public awareness of conservation, but not in most of Southeast Asia, including Singapore, where the opposite is true.
“We have to deal with the reality that deforestation is still high. Potentially thousands of species, many of them undescribed, are facing extinction,” he said.
“Public environmental awareness is generally low, and we need practical conservation solutions that will garner public support and protect a large number of species.”
Still, Assoc Prof Chisholm stressed the importance of monitoring programmes based around charismatic species to measure the benefits for non-charismatic species and overall ecosystem health.
“Any comparisons of the umbrella-species approach to other conservation approaches should involve realistic, practical approaches rather than idealised conservation approaches that may not be realistic in terms of public or political support,” he cautioned.
PRIORITISING CHARISMATIC SPECIES IS 'PRAGMATIC'
Sharing his views on the findings, Dr Shawn Lum, a senior lecturer at Nanyang Technological University's Asian School of Environment, said the researchers were being pragmatic in their suggested approach.
He did not think the authors were saying that care should only be given to conserving charismatic species.
“They are instead suggesting an approach that will make a bigger conservation impact on decision-makers and the general public,” he told TODAY.
Dr Lum said the most vulnerable charismatic species tend to be larger animals, such as the Raffles’ banded langur, leopard cat and greater mousedeer, which require large areas for their feeding and social territories.
“Drawing attention to these species and the need to conserve them will send the message that we will need to conserve and appropriately manage and restore large areas of forests and other ecosystems... for their continued survival.
“If we are to save the charismatic species that everyone can relate to and feel the urgency of their conservation, we will essentially conserve the most diverse habitats that are also home to the vast majority of Singapore’s native species of plants and animals,” he said.
Dr Lum acknowledged that it would be ideal to prioritise all species regardless of charisma, as all species have an intrinsic right to exist.
“This, however, does not easily translate into soundbites that can excite, galvanise and inspire many policymakers, corporate leaders and the general public. At least not yet,” he said.
The longer-term strategy would be to aim to have everyone appreciate and celebrate nature “so that our children will be able to be enriched and inspired by nature in the same way our ancestors were”, he added.
Mr Stephen Beng, the chairperson of the Friends of the Marine Park Community ground-led initiative, said charismatic species are often used to raise awareness for pressing causes. Two examples of this are polar bears for the melting Arctic, and sea turtles for plastic pollution.
"While the best way to protect a species is by protecting their habitat, saving them on the premise of their cultural value or cuteness may leave out species that have more essential roles in the ecosystem," he said.
"Safeguarding unusual species or restoring scarce ones is another approach to species protection strategies."
Mr Beng added that the questions one should ask when planning around this are:
- Have we discovered enough about our biodiversity and natural ecosystems to decide what’s valuable?
- Do we know enough about our natural world and its operating limits to understand the consequences of our actions?
- Is it our place to conserve a species and write off another without first addressing the socioeconomic root causes of biodiversity loss?
VALUE ALL LIVES REGARDLESS OF CHARISMA: ACRES
Mr Kalaivanan Balakrishnan, co-chief executive officer of Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres), called for caution in the approach to prioritise charismatic species in conservation efforts.
He also urged researchers to apply a broader perspective that “recognises the interconnectedness of all life”, as Singapore is a place where nature is interwoven with urban life.
“This makes it even more pressing to have more compassion, understanding and tolerance towards all forms of biodiversity, whether a snake, a monitor lizard or a pangolin.”
Echoing Dr Lum’s sentiments on the longer-term strategy, Mr Kalaivanan said there is a need to nurture stewardship of Singapore’s biodiversity.
This is because relying solely on aesthetic appeal to engage the public in conservation outreach efforts may diminish the inherent value of other species.
“We need an approach that will create a compassionate society that is kinder to all lives, whether charismatic or not, thus creating stewards of nature,” he said.
He added that Singaporeans should read up on biodiversity, immerse themselves in nature and realise that their world is shared with other animals.
“We don’t own them,” he said.
Mr Kalaivanan believes that media portrayal and outreach materials have a part to play in making an impression on Singaporeans.
Whether one feels fear, respect, love or hatred towards an animal, it all boils down to how they are perceived by the public.
“Storytelling and positive messaging on those less 'charismatic' species can be just as compelling and impactful to inspire action,” said Mr Kalaivanan.
This article was originally published on Channel News Asia. Its inclusion on this website is solely for education purposes.