Clemson University TigerPrints All Dissertations Dissertations 8-2012 THE INFLUENCE OF FLAGSHIP SPECIES ON IN SITU AND EX SITU WILDLIFE TOURISTS' CONNECTION TO WILDLIFE AND PRO-CONSERVATION BEHAVIORS Jeffrey Skibins Clemson University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_dissertations Part of the Environmental Sciences Commons Recommended Citation Skibins, Jeffrey, "THE INFLUENCE OF FLAGSHIP SPECIES ON IN SITU AND EX SITU WILDLIFE TOURISTS' CONNECTION TO WILDLIFE AND PRO-CONSERVATION BEHAVIORS" (2012). All Dissertations. 991. https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_dissertations/991 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Dissertations at TigerPrints. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Dissertations by an authorized administrator of TigerPrints. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE INFLUENCE OF FLAGSHIP SPECIES ON IN SITU AND EX SITU WILDLIFE TOURISTS’ CONNECTION TO WILDLIFE AND PRO-CONSERVATION BEHAVIORS A Dissertation Presented to the Graduate School of Clemson University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management by Jeffrey Craig Skibins August 2012 Accepted by: Dr. Robert B. Powell, Committee Chair Dr. William W. Bowerman, IV Dr. Jeffrey C. Hallo Dr. Brett A. Wright i ABSTRACT Annually, millions of tourists visit natural areas and zoos primarily to view flagship species such as lions and elephants. Venues rely on the inherent charisma of these species to increase visitation and anchor conservation efforts. Expected visitor outcomes from the use of flagships include raised levels of awareness and pro- conservation behaviors. However, the role of flagships in wildlife tourism has been criticized for not delivering conservation benefits for species of interest or biodiversity, and producing negative site impacts. Furthermore, little is known about how the connection to a species influences conservation behaviors. This dissertation addresses this gap in knowledge by extending previous work exploring flagship-based wildlife tourism to include the emotional connection formed with a species and pro-conservation behaviors for individual species and biodiversity. This dissertation represents a substantial contribution to the field because (a) it incorporates the role of the experience in understanding how tourists connect with a species and how this connection influences pro-conservation behaviors; and (b) is the first attempt to operationalize Conservation Caring as a measure of tourists’ connection with a species. Existing studies have investigated how specific elements, such as interpretation or species’ morphology may influence programmatic goals or awareness. However, awareness is a poor measure of an emotional connection with an animal. Furthermore, there has not been work done to address the holistic nature of the wildlife viewing experience, and its subsequent influence on behaviors. ii In situ study sites consisted of several national parks from the northern circuit in Tanzania. Ex situ sites consisted of two zoos and one aquarium in the U.S. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze data. Results support the validity of Conservation Caring as a factor; the ability of in situ and ex situ wildlife tourism to influence Conservation Caring; and that this connection is a strong predictor of pro-conservation behaviors. These findings suggest wildlife tourism can deliver conservation outcomes. The studies in this dissertation also provide a valuable framework for structuring wildlife tourism experiences to align with flagship related conservation outcomes, and exploring a wider assemblage of species as potential flagships. iii DEDICATION This work is dedicated to my wife Lucy and our three children, Faith, Ethan, and Zoe. This would not have been possible without your unending love, support, and patience. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank several people for their help in bringing this project to completion. Dr. Robert Powell, committee chair, provided support and guidance, and challenged me to be a better scholar. Drs. Jeffrey Hallo, Brett Wright, and William Bowerman brought great insights and practicalities to the process and design. I am grateful for all of the encouragement and patience from all of these individuals. For service above and beyond the call of duty, I would like to recognize Dr. Dewayne Moore for providing guidance on data analysis, and Drs. Susanna Curtin and Carol Saunders for their assistance in survey development. Countless people contributed to the success of the field portion of this research. Much of this project would not have been possible without the generous financial support of Tourism Cares and Phi Kappa Phi. For assistance in Tanzania, I would like to thank the Tanzanian Tourism Board, KADCO, the Tanzanian National Parks, and Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area for their contributions and support. I would also like to thank Geoff Lacher, Ken Backman, and Archleus Mgungus for their insights on all things Tanzania. I am grateful to Brookfield Zoo, Shedd Aquarium, and Zoo Atlanta for their on-going dedication to conservation and support of this study. Additionally, I am thankful for all of the support I received from Matt Brownlee, Elizabeth Chivers, Cindy Hartman, and Patrick Holladay. Finally, to my wife Lucy and my quiver of arrows Faith, Ethan, and Zoe this is for you. Your support and dedication to this process was unwavering. I am forever grateful. Soli Deo Gloria v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page TITLE PAGE .................................................................................................................... i ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................... ii DEDICATION ................................................................................................................ iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................... v LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................... x LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................... xii CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................... 1 Problem Statement ................................................................................... 6 Research Questions .................................................................................. 6 Research Sites .......................................................................................... 7 Document Structure ................................................................................. 8 II. CONTEXT, CHARISMA, AND CONSERVATION: THE INFLUENCE OF CHARISMATIC MEGAFAUNA ON IN SITU AND EX SITU WILDLIFE TOURISTS’ PRO-CONSERVATION BEHAVIORS ................................................. 9 Introduction .............................................................................................. 9 Literature Review................................................................................... 11 Wildlife Tourism ............................................................................... 11 Charismatic Megafauna Characteristics ............................................ 13 Charismatic Megafauna as Flagship Species .................................... 14 Interactional Theory .......................................................................... 15 Study Objectives ................................................................................ 18 Study Sites ......................................................................................... 18 Methods.................................................................................................. 21 Survey Instrument Development ....................................................... 21 vi Table of Contents (Continued) Page Survey Sites & Sampling Procedure ................................................. 24 Analyses ............................................................................................ 27 Results .................................................................................................... 31 Survey Sample Description ............................................................... 31 Preliminary Measurement Model ...................................................... 31 Test of Factorial Invariance across Zoo Sample ............................... 34 Test of Factorial Invariance between Safari and Zoo Tourists ......... 34 Test of Causal Invariance between Safari and Zoo Tourists ............. 35 Influence of the CMF Viewing Experience on Conservation Caring and Pro-Conservation Behaviors ..................... 38 Latent Mean Differences and Disturbances ...................................... 39 Discussion .............................................................................................. 44 Influence of the CMF Viewing Experience on Tourist-based Conservation Outcomes ........................................ 44 Role of Existing Connection to Wildlife on Conservation Outcomes46 Role of Experiential Factors on Conservation Outcomes ................. 47 Comparison of Experiential Factors and Conservation Outcomes between In Situ and Ex Situ Tourists ......... 48 Implications for Designating Flagship Species ................................