Wicked Problems, Novel Solutions: Nepalese Elephant Tourism and Conservation
Endangered Asian elephants (<i>Elephas maximus</i>) find themselves at the center of debates involving politics, land use, human–wildlife conflict, and environmental justice. The intensity of such debates has led scholars to label conservation challenges as wicked problems with profound...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/1/171 |
| _version_ | 1797359152495853568 |
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| author | Michelle Szydlowski |
| author_facet | Michelle Szydlowski |
| author_sort | Michelle Szydlowski |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Endangered Asian elephants (<i>Elephas maximus</i>) find themselves at the center of debates involving politics, land use, human–wildlife conflict, and environmental justice. The intensity of such debates has led scholars to label conservation challenges as wicked problems with profound implications on local and global practice. In elephant range states such as Nepal, these debates are made more complex through human ‘ownership’ of endangered individuals for use in tourism, worship, or co-work. Human perspectives on the ethics of using animals for tourism are changing, even in areas heavily reliant on the tourism industry for survival. These debates become inflamed when non-residents take on adversarial positions despite an acceptance of the ‘ownership’ or ‘use’ of endangered individuals among local communities. Novel approaches are needed if there is any hope of establishing a common ground upon which to build relationships which may benefit community members, international interests, and endangered individuals. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T15:12:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-94cb85ea3b7641cf9963a594dad21cfc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T15:12:32Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-94cb85ea3b7641cf9963a594dad21cfc2024-01-10T14:50:33ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152024-01-0114117110.3390/ani14010171Wicked Problems, Novel Solutions: Nepalese Elephant Tourism and ConservationMichelle Szydlowski0St. Luke’s Campus, University of Exeter, Exeter EX12LU, UKEndangered Asian elephants (<i>Elephas maximus</i>) find themselves at the center of debates involving politics, land use, human–wildlife conflict, and environmental justice. The intensity of such debates has led scholars to label conservation challenges as wicked problems with profound implications on local and global practice. In elephant range states such as Nepal, these debates are made more complex through human ‘ownership’ of endangered individuals for use in tourism, worship, or co-work. Human perspectives on the ethics of using animals for tourism are changing, even in areas heavily reliant on the tourism industry for survival. These debates become inflamed when non-residents take on adversarial positions despite an acceptance of the ‘ownership’ or ‘use’ of endangered individuals among local communities. Novel approaches are needed if there is any hope of establishing a common ground upon which to build relationships which may benefit community members, international interests, and endangered individuals.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/1/171anthrozoologyAsian elephantcaptive–wild interfaceconservationmultispecies ethnographyNepal |
| spellingShingle | Michelle Szydlowski Wicked Problems, Novel Solutions: Nepalese Elephant Tourism and Conservation Animals anthrozoology Asian elephant captive–wild interface conservation multispecies ethnography Nepal |
| title | Wicked Problems, Novel Solutions: Nepalese Elephant Tourism and Conservation |
| title_full | Wicked Problems, Novel Solutions: Nepalese Elephant Tourism and Conservation |
| title_fullStr | Wicked Problems, Novel Solutions: Nepalese Elephant Tourism and Conservation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Wicked Problems, Novel Solutions: Nepalese Elephant Tourism and Conservation |
| title_short | Wicked Problems, Novel Solutions: Nepalese Elephant Tourism and Conservation |
| title_sort | wicked problems novel solutions nepalese elephant tourism and conservation |
| topic | anthrozoology Asian elephant captive–wild interface conservation multispecies ethnography Nepal |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/1/171 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT michelleszydlowski wickedproblemsnovelsolutionsnepaleseelephanttourismandconservation |