Factors Affecting of Big Head Turtle Conservation Activities of people in Ban Na Tong Community, Cho Hae Subdistrict, Mueang District, Phrae Province

Abstract

The habitat of big-headed turtles depends on forests, natural resources, and community participation in their conservation. The objectives of this research were: 1) to study the factors influencing participation in conservation activities, and 2) to suggest guidelines for conserving big-headed turtles. A structured interview was used as the data collection method, collecting 73 samples from Bannathong, Chorhae sub-district, Muang district, Phrae province. This study used descriptive analysis and logistic regression, with the dependent variable being habitat conservation for big-headed turtles. The independent variables included 11 factors: gender, age, number of household members, income, education, experience, characteristics of turtles, utilization, community leaders, habitat protection, and wildlife protection.

The results showed that most people (82.2 %) participated in conservation activities for big-headed turtles’ habitats. The factors influencing participation in conservation activities included four variables: number of household members (p-value=0.035), characteristics of big-headed turtles (p-value=0.014), wildlife habitat protection law (p-value=0.016), and a village headman (p-value=0.031), all significant at p<0.05. The number of household members increased participation in conservation activities because they wanted to preserve natural resources. The characteristics of big-headed turtles affected the classification between big-headed turtles and other turtle species protected under wildlife protection laws. Communities needed to understand the wildlife protection laws. The village headman was a key person in sharing information and transferring data to the community, which helped determine suitable activities for natural resource conservation. The guidelines for conserving big-headed turtles consisted of three parts: social, environmental, and economic. The social part involves planning conservation based on the geographical characteristics of Bannathong. The environment part focuses on conservation management in accordance with wildlife protection laws. The economic part promotes ecotourism and income generation in the area. Therefore, the community will be more aware of natural resources under the law and will have empowered community leaders capable of effectively preserving the habitats of big-headed turtles.