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Economic security correlates with intrinsic rather than survival-oriented wildlife values.

The Claim

People with greater socioeconomic privilege are more likely to view wildlife as having intrinsic value, whereas people living in poverty are more likely to value wildlife primarily for its survival-related utility.

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The Short Version

The evidence supports a broad socioeconomic tendency, not a universal divide. Greater economic security is generally associated with mutualistic or intrinsic-oriented wildlife values, while poverty and resource dependence often increase emphasis on practical livelihood benefits. Culture, identity, local ecology, and non-survival uses also shape wildlife values, and poorer communities can hold strong intrinsic or relational values.

Caveats

  • The relationship is probabilistic and varies substantially across cultures and communities.
  • Wildlife value-orientation measures such as mutualism do not perfectly equal philosophical intrinsic value.
  • Poorer communities may value wildlife for identity, status, culture, and livelihoods—not solely survival.

The Receipts

  1. Are we working to save the species our children want to protect? Evaluating species attribute preferences among children

    doi.org

  2. Social values and biodiversity conservation in a dynamic world

    doi.org

  3. How Do Local Folks Value Wild Meat, and Why It Matters? A Study in the Democratic Republic of Congo | Human Ecology | Springer Nature Link

    link.springer.com

  4. A broader context for understanding the basis for and application of wildlife value orientations

    doi.org

  5. Community Perceptions on Conservation, Livelihood Vulnerability and Quality of Life Around Tanzania’s Kilimanjaro National Park

    mdpi.com

  6. Attitudes of local communities to wildlife conservation and ...

    sciencedirect.com

  7. The values of wildlife revisited

    doi.org

  8. Human–Wildlife Conflicts, Household Livelihood Security, and Conservation Support Among Residents Adjacent to the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya

    doi.org

  9. Economic Benefits, Local Participation, and Conservation Ethic in a Game Management Area: Evidence From Mambwe, Zambia

    journals.sagepub.com

  10. Toward a new understanding of the links between poverty and illegal wildlife hunting

    conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

+ 27 more sources — see the full list on Lenz

Filed Under

PovertySocioeconomic PrivilegeWildlife

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