Community Engagement and Communication in Banteng Conservation: A Case Study from Thailand's Western Forest Complex

Abstract

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature has listed the Banteng wild cattle species as endangered. In Thailand, research on the ecological implications of human activities on the distribution and ecology of animals in Salakpra Animal Sanctuary sheds light on Banteng's endangered status on both an international and national scale. To address this issue, a critical group in the region launched an initiative to reintroduce Banteng into their native forest habitat, a global first. There were numerous channels of communication for Banteng conservation, but there was little research on these outreach communication activities, which had a significant impact on awareness and participation in the Banteng release project for gaining positive cooperation. Thus, this study aims to investigate the demographic and communication factors that influence community engagement in Banteng conservation efforts in the Salakpra Wildlife Sanctuary area, Kanchanaburi Province. The questionnaire was applied quantitatively to 400 households who lived in the communities around the research region. The empirical finding was obtained using a combination of social science statistics and multiple regression analysis. The study's findings indicated that some factors have a significant impact significantly on conservative participation, while some have no significant relation to communication and participation in Banteng conservation statistically. As a result, policy suggestions were developed to encourage greater engagement in the protection of Banteng and other animal species.

Keywords: Participation, Banteng Conservation, Community area, and Wildlife Sanctuary