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Bowen-Jones, E.; Entwistle, A.
Identifying appropriate flagship species: the importance of culture and local contexts
2002 Oryx (36): 189-195
Over the last 50 years there has been increasing use of charismatic large mammals and birds as "flagship species" to raise funds and promote the ethos of conservation. However, species chosen to appeal to donor and membership groups may not necessarily be considered popular among local communities. A growing recognition of the need to engage local communities in conservation makes them an increasingly important audience for information about conservation. In such situations an awareness of the local perception and value of different species is central to choosing effective flagships. Emphasising this, we propose 10 criteria for the selection fo flagship species. We then describe three examples of local flagship species and assess their use against these criteria: the Asian elephant _Elephas maximus_ for the conservation of landscapes in Aceh, Indonesia, the flying fox _Pteropus voeltzkowi_ for forest protection of Pemba Island, Tanzania, an the ceiba or kapok tree _Ceiba pentandra_ for the conservation forests in Belize.
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