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https://theconversation.com/you-dont-have-to-be-a-cute-koala-to-be-an-instagram-influencer-give-lizards-and-bugs-a-chance-and-well-like-them-too-190138>
"Remember the popularity contests of high school? Often our athletic,
genetically gifted classmates got the most attention: the school captain, the
footy team captain, the prom queen. But popularity contests don’t just exist in
school. And in the world of conservation, it can be a matter of survival for
the “winners” and “losers”.
If we asked you to list every animal species you can think of, chances are that
list would be full of mammals and birds, with very few reptiles, fish,
amphibians and invertebrates. So why do we focus so much on some species and so
little on others?
Our recent study challenges assumptions that people simply find mammals and
birds much more engaging than other species. When these neglected species were
posted to Instagram by wildlife organisations and researchers, there were no
great differences in the likes they attracted.
This has implications for which species we focus on to enlist public support
for conservation. A more complete picture of the wildlife around us would help
reduce glaring imbalances in conservation outcomes."
Share and enjoy,
*** Xanni ***
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mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
