Integrating Animal Culture into Red List Assessments and Recovery Planning for Migratory Species to Enhance Conservation Strategies

Abstract

Assessment of animal culture in the Red List and recovery planning is essential in developing stronger
conservation measures for migratory species. Migration patterns, breeding locations, and foraging
patterns are an important part of a species' life, yet they are usually not considered when focusing on
conventional conservation. This paper will discuss the possibility of including animal culture in Red
List assessments of migratory species to enhance conservation outcomes. This study evaluated cultural
characteristics in a sample of migratory birds and marine mammals based on long-term tracking data,
which shows the importance of socially transmitted knowledge (STK) in species migration and
adaptation to changing environments. Statistical analyses, including survival analysis and regression
models, showed that species that used STK were more resilient to environmental stressors, including
habitat loss and climate change, than those that used genetic migration patterns. The most important
findings were that the culturally transmitted migration routes were found to be 20 % more resilient to
habitat disruptions than genetically inherited migration routes. Also, cultural behaviors are
incorporated in the recovery planning, which contributed towards a 30% increase in the percentage of
successful conservation intervention. This is crucial because these findings underscore the need to
ensure cultural elements are considered in conservation efforts to ensure the complexity of the needs
of migratory species is met. The application of cultural behaviors to Red List assessments can result
in more effective and sustainable conservation efforts through tailored conservation efforts to species
specific survival strategies.