Turismo e conservação: a valorização ambiental dos turistas como ferramenta para proteger uma espécie carismática

Abstract

Ecological tourism has grown in recent years, with emphasis on wildlife observation, such as cetaceans. However, some tourism activities may negatively influence certain species, which makes it important to understand how tourists relate to the environment. By understanding the relevance that the tourist attributes to wildlife and how this relevance is built, it is possible to design tools to promote the conservation of local biodiversity. This work aimed precisely to understand what makes tourists appreciate and value charismatic species, assuming that these aspects may be influenced by socioeconomic factors and previous exposure to these species. The species considered was Sotalia guianensis, popularly known as “Guiana dolphin”, which lives in coastal regions and may have resident populations, such as those observed on the coast of Rio Grande do Norte (RN), northeastern Brazil. Tourists who visits the beach of Pipa (RN) were interviewed to collect information on: a) socioeconomic variables; b) knowledge about S. guianensis; c) personal attitudes towards animal conservation; and d) individual willingness to pay for the species conservation. A Multinominal Logit model was used to identify the variables that influence the willingness of tourists to pay for conservation. The tourists who go to Pipa are willing to conserve S. guianensis especially when they have already paid for a dolphin-watching recreational activity, when they are more knowledgeable about the animal, and when they are willing to no longer visit the place if they know that the activities are harming the animal. Evidence of what determines pro-conservation attitudes is an important step towards proposing new strategies for species conservation. Thus, wildlife watching tourism can be an important conservation tool, since those who practice it are more willing to support conservation financially. In addition, it is also important to widely disseminate correct ecological knowledge, as this also stands out as a constructive factor of pro-conservation attitudes.