Using Social Media to Measure the Contribution of Red List Species to the Nature-Based Tourism Potential of African Protected Areas

Samburu National Reserve, Mukogodo Forest Reserve near Mount Kenya, and Addo Elephant National Park rank as Africa's top destinations for nature-based tourism, driven by the global appeal of iconic species like lions, elephants, and leopards. Researchers quantified this potential using social media data—specifically photo counts from a sharing platform—as a proxy for species charisma and accessibility. By analyzing over 2400 wildlife images across African protected areas, they linked biodiversity to tourism attractiveness without relying on resource-intensive surveys. This novel method leverages freely available IUCN Red List data and online platforms, offering a scalable approach to assess cultural ecosystem services. While it highlights globally popular species—often not the most conservation-critical—the index provides insights into human-perceived benefits, though it omits factors like accessibility or safety that also shape tourism dynamics.

Willemen, L., Cottam, A. J., Drakou, E. G., & Burgess, N. D. (2015). Using Social Media to Measure the Contribution of Red List Species to the Nature-Based Tourism Potential of African Protected Areas. Plos One, 10(6), e0129785. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0129785