Conservation education program for threatened Asian horseshoe crabs: A step towards reducing community apathy to environmental conservation |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong;2. Ocean Park Conservation Foundation Hong Kong, Ocean Park, Aberdeen, Hong Kong;3. State Key Laboratory in Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong;1. Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, Tartu 51014, Estonia;2. Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 48, Tartu 51006, Estonia;3. Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 5, Tartu 51014, Estonia;1. Department of Geological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 611 37 Brno, Czechia;2. Department of Geology and Pedology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University, Zemědělská 3, 613 00 Brno, Czechia;3. Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, 17. listopadu 1192/12, 771 46 Olomouc, Czechia;1. Förderverein Sächsische Vogelschutzwarte Neschwitz e. V., Park 4, 02699 Neschwitz, Germany;2. Technische Universität Dresden, Institut für Geographie, 01062 Dresden, Germany;3. Sächsisches Landesamt für Umwelt, Landwirtschaft und Geologie, Postfach 540137, 01311 Dresden, Germany;1. Division of Life Sciences, Rutgers University, 604 Allison Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854-8082, USA;2. Niles and Associates and Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey, 109 Market land, Greenwich, NJ 08323, USA;3. Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA;1. National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China;2. Shanghai Collaborative Innovation for Aquatic Animal Genetics and Breeding, China;3. Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Aquaculture, China;4. International Research Center for Marine Biosciences at Shanghai Ocean University, Ministry of Science and Technology, China;5. Department of Zoology, Government College Women University Faisalabad, Pakistan;6. Guangxi Institute of Fisheries, Nanning, 530021, China;7. Tianjin Era Biology Technology Co., Ltd, China |
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| Abstract: | ![]()
Long-term and locally-based public education programs are essential in supporting conservation initiatives for horseshoe crab protection, particularly in Asia, where their populations have been largely exploited for food and biomedical applications. However, the implementation of such conservation initiatives can be difficult due to a community’s ingrained apathy towards the environment. In addition, the effectiveness of similar education programs to engage the community in conservation work has rarely been assessed. We described the implementation strategies of a conservation education program in Hong Kong, with the objective to improve the community’s awareness, engagement and environmental attitudes towards the conservation of Asian horseshoe crabs. This study evaluated the program’s outreach, outcomes and impacts between 2009 and 2016. By raising laboratory-cultured juvenile horseshoe crabs at local secondary schools, this long-term conservation education program succeeded in enhancing students’ knowledge on the biology and ecology of horseshoe crabs, as well as promoting positive attitudes and behaviors towards relevant conservation issues. Lessons and recommendations derived from this program can serve as guidance for similar campaigns in other places. |
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| Keywords: | Asian horseshoe crab Community participation Conservation Environmental education Public awareness |
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