Age and Fieldwork Experience Increase Brazilian University Students’ Ability to Identify Wild Mammals

• Published in: Tropical conservation science Vol. 15; p. 194008292110173
• Main Authors: Silva, André Bastos da, Sales, Francisco Arlan de, Ferreira, Luciana Nobre de Abreu, Andrade, Juliana Ramos de, Souto, Wedson de Medeiros Silva, Lopes, Clarissa Gomes Reis
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; French; German; Portuguese; Spanish
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.05.2022; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Age; Biodiversity; Conservation; Family farms; Farming; Field study; Fieldwork; Fishing; Hunting; Indigenous species; Mammals; Rural areas; Students; University students; Wildlife conservation; mammals identification; environmental education; science teachers; native species; biodiversity conservation; charismatic species; extinction of experience
• ISSN: 1940-0829; 1940-0829
• DOI: 10.1177/19400829211017365

A lack of engagement with the natural environment can reduce awareness of issues surrounding environmental and biodiversity conservation. Therefore, to increase students’ awareness, science teachers should develop activities related to biodiversity, bringing students into closer connection with the natural environment. This study evaluated the ability of 115 Brazilian university students’ to identify native and alien wild mammals. Patterns in university students’ ability to identify species were predicted by a combination of variables (university-level, age, gender, experience linked to countryside, family farming, fishing, and hunting). Students correctly identified alien mammals more frequently than native mammals. We found distinct groups of species in function of students’ experience (university-level, age group, fishing, and hunting). In addition, we found that the correct identification of native species was mainly associated with older male students who go regularly to the countryside, and participate in activities linked to farming, fishing, and hunting. Our findings support those from previous studies that show fieldwork classes are essential to increase the contact of an increasingly urbanized society with the local natural environment. We suggest that inclusion of fieldwork is necessary for the development of university students’ awareness regarding the richness of native mammal species and consequently, the importance of their conservation.