Pathways from theory to practice: Applying animal cultures to conservation

Wildlife conservation has traditionally focused on the maintenance of population size, genetic diversity or habitat protection, with successes measured by stability or growth of population estimates, decrease in rates of population decline, and reduction of threats. However, the importance of preserving animal cultures and behavioral diversity is gaining traction, as they can contribute to the resilience and long-term survivability of species, with some socially learned behaviors likely promoting a species’ adaptive potential. Despite advances in both practices and policies within this domain, there are persistent practical questions about how cultural behaviors are relevant to the implementation of species conservation. Therefore, we propose a conceptual framework to facilitate the integration of animal culture into conservation management. First, as goals that provide overall direction for conservation efforts. Second, as targets that are identified as the specific units of focus to meet a conservation goal, including specific cultural behaviors or variants, the socio-ecological conditions that support them, behavioral diversity, and processes that sustain behavioral diversity within and across populations. Third, as tools that scientists and practitioners may employ to conserve targets or more generally to serve a conservation purpose related to a broader goal. We assess different targets and tools for their strengths and limitations in different conservation contexts, offering not a prescriptive solution, but rather a toolkit for applying this theoretical framework. To articulate these nuances, we demonstrate how such a multidimensional approach is actionable by providing examples from the conservation of the most well documented cultural species, the chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes). Preserving cultures and their diversity can significantly enhance conservation initiatives, particularly when aligned with efforts to empower local communities and promote more holistic conservation approaches. However, as there is no one-size-fits-all approach to applying animal cultures to conservation, practitioners must carefully consider the nuances of their chosen goals and targets within their specific conservation contexts. This may involve determining if behaviors need to be cultural to warrant attention and if targeting cultural diversity might be more suitable to achieving their conservation goals. Ultimately, the toolkit we offer represents a major step forward in bridging cultural research and conservation practice, allowing practitioners to collaboratively navigate the appropriate paths towards an actionable framework for their taxon.