Economic Valuation of Balkan Chamois Conservation
The Balkan chamois (<i>Rupicapra rupicapra balcanica</i>) is a caprine of the rocky mountain slopes, threatened in Greece by illegal hunting and population isolation. We used a contingent valuation method to assess the willingness to pay (WTP) for chamois conservation of 500 residents of...
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MDPI AG
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/4/691 |
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| author | Vasilios Liordos Maria Antoniadou Vasileios J. Kontsiotis |
| author_facet | Vasilios Liordos Maria Antoniadou Vasileios J. Kontsiotis |
| author_sort | Vasilios Liordos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Balkan chamois (<i>Rupicapra rupicapra balcanica</i>) is a caprine of the rocky mountain slopes, threatened in Greece by illegal hunting and population isolation. We used a contingent valuation method to assess the willingness to pay (WTP) for chamois conservation of 500 residents of the region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace. Most of the participants (61.6%) were WTP a mean of EUR 41.6 for chamois conservation, totaling EUR 6.03 million for the target population. Attitudes toward and knowledge about chamois, moralistic worldviews (spiritual reverence and ethical concern for nature and wildlife), participation in wildlife-related consumptive outdoor activities (i.e., hunting and fishing), intention to participate in conservation actions for the species, and encounters with the species in the wild were positively associated with WTP for its conservation. Dominionistic worldviews (humans have mastery, physical control, and dominance of wildlife) were negatively associated with WTP, while highly educated females with high income were more WTP for implementing relevant conservation actions. Factors involving previous knowledge of the chamois positively influenced the WTP, thus, confirming the construct’s bias toward charismatic species. The findings show that Greek residents highly value the chamois and its conservation and would be useful for advising this process and achieving its conservation management. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T09:15:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2d07568754594800842c9139391884c1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T09:15:46Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-2d07568754594800842c9139391884c12023-11-16T18:40:13ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152023-02-0113469110.3390/ani13040691Economic Valuation of Balkan Chamois ConservationVasilios Liordos0Maria Antoniadou1Vasileios J. Kontsiotis2Department of Forest and Natural Environment Sciences, International Hellenic University, P.O. Box 172, 66100 Drama, GreeceDepartment of Forest and Natural Environment Sciences, International Hellenic University, P.O. Box 172, 66100 Drama, GreeceDepartment of Forest and Natural Environment Sciences, International Hellenic University, P.O. Box 172, 66100 Drama, GreeceThe Balkan chamois (<i>Rupicapra rupicapra balcanica</i>) is a caprine of the rocky mountain slopes, threatened in Greece by illegal hunting and population isolation. We used a contingent valuation method to assess the willingness to pay (WTP) for chamois conservation of 500 residents of the region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace. Most of the participants (61.6%) were WTP a mean of EUR 41.6 for chamois conservation, totaling EUR 6.03 million for the target population. Attitudes toward and knowledge about chamois, moralistic worldviews (spiritual reverence and ethical concern for nature and wildlife), participation in wildlife-related consumptive outdoor activities (i.e., hunting and fishing), intention to participate in conservation actions for the species, and encounters with the species in the wild were positively associated with WTP for its conservation. Dominionistic worldviews (humans have mastery, physical control, and dominance of wildlife) were negatively associated with WTP, while highly educated females with high income were more WTP for implementing relevant conservation actions. Factors involving previous knowledge of the chamois positively influenced the WTP, thus, confirming the construct’s bias toward charismatic species. The findings show that Greek residents highly value the chamois and its conservation and would be useful for advising this process and achieving its conservation management.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/4/691caprinaestated preferencerandom utilitycognitionstheoretical constructeconometric model |
| spellingShingle | Vasilios Liordos Maria Antoniadou Vasileios J. Kontsiotis Economic Valuation of Balkan Chamois Conservation Animals caprinae stated preference random utility cognitions theoretical construct econometric model |
| title | Economic Valuation of Balkan Chamois Conservation |
| title_full | Economic Valuation of Balkan Chamois Conservation |
| title_fullStr | Economic Valuation of Balkan Chamois Conservation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Economic Valuation of Balkan Chamois Conservation |
| title_short | Economic Valuation of Balkan Chamois Conservation |
| title_sort | economic valuation of balkan chamois conservation |
| topic | caprinae stated preference random utility cognitions theoretical construct econometric model |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/4/691 |
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