Animal cultures matter for conservation

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2019-03, Vol.363 (6431), p.1032-1034
• Main Authors: Brakes, Philippa, Dall, Sasha R X, Aplin, Lucy M, Bearhop, Stuart, Carroll, Emma L, Ciucci, Paolo, Fishlock, Vicki, Ford, John K B, Garland, Ellen C, Keith, Sally A, McGregor, Peter K, Mesnick, Sarah L, Noad, Michael J, di Sciara, Giuseppe Notarbartolo, Robbins, Martha M, Simmonds, Mark P, Spina, Fernando, Thornton, Alex, Wade, Paul R, Whiting, Martin J, Williams, James, Rendell, Luke, Whitehead, Hal, Whiten, Andrew, Rutz, Christian
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Conservation; Conservation of Natural Resources; Conspecifics; Cultural factors; Cultural Pluralism; Culture; Demographics; Elephants; Environmental policy; Evolution; Genetic diversity; Migratory species; Multiculturalism & pluralism; Pan troglodytes; Phenotypic variations; Preservation; Repositories; Social discrimination learning; Social Learning; Socialization; Wild animals; Wildlife conservation
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.aaw3557

Understanding the rich social lives of animals benefits international conservation efforts Animal culture, defined as “information or behavior—shared within a community—which is acquired from conspecifics through some form of social learning” ( 1 ), can have important consequences for the survival and reproduction of individuals, social groups, and potentially, entire populations ( 1 , 2 ). Yet, until recently, conservation strategies and policies have focused primarily on broad demographic responses and the preservation of genetically defined, evolutionarily significant units. A burgeoning body of evidence on cultural transmission and other aspects of sociality ( 3 ) is now affording critical insights into what should be conserved (going beyond the protection of genetic diversity, to consider adaptive aspects of phenotypic variation), and why specific conservation programs succeed (e.g., through facilitating the resilience of cultural diversity) while others fail (e.g., by neglecting key repositories of socially transmitted knowledge). Here, we highlight how international legal instruments, such as the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), can facilitate smart, targeted conservation of a wide range of taxa, by explicitly considering aspects of their sociality and cultures.