Role of culture in the emotional response towards komodo dragon in Komodo and Rinca Islands of Komodo National Park

A significant finding from this study is that cultural beliefs and values play a crucial role in shaping local communities' emotional responses towards Komodo dragons, thereby influencing conservation support. While 98.5% of respondents considered the dragons dangerous, 60.6% of Komodo villagers held positive perceptions, contrasting with 47.6% moderate perceptions among Rinca villagers. This difference is attributed to distinct cultural attachments; Komodo villagers perceive dragons as 'cousins' and thus avoid harming them, while Rinca villagers, being migrants, lack such connections. Consequently, Komodo villagers showed higher coexistence beliefs (83%) and conservation support (81.5%) compared to Rinca villagers (65.3%). The study highlights the importance of integrating local cultural values in wildlife conservation efforts.

Sunkar, A., Kusrini, M. D., & Ramadhani, F. S. (2020). Role of culture in the emotional response towards komodo dragon in Komodo and Rinca Islands of Komodo National Park. BIO Web of Conferences, 19, 21. https://doi.org/10.1051/bioconf/20201900021