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| Chandola Barthwal, S.; Mathur, V.B. | |
| Teachers' Knowledge of and Attitude Toward Wildlife and Conservation | |
| 2012 Mountain Research and Development (32): 169-175 | |
Environmental education (EE) has recently been included in school curricula in India to improve understanding of ecosystems, their functions, and the effect of human actions on them. The need for EE is more pronounced in Ladakh, in the Indian Trans-Himalaya, where recent development activities pose challenges for the fragile mountain ecosystem and for traditional livelihoods. Inclusion of EE in school curricula by the Jammu & Kashmir State Education Board and a conservation education program organized jointly by various government and nongovernmental agencies across Ladakh are some of the significant steps taken. As part of the Wildlife Institute of India's collaborative conservation education program, a questionnaire survey was conducted to explore Ladakh school teachers' knowledge of and attitude toward wildlife and conservation. In all, 277 government school teachers took part in the study. Results of the study highlight that teachers in Ladakh are aware of local biodiversity and have favorable attitudes toward conservation. However, responses to specific statements on snow leopards (Panthera uncia) were found to be unfavorable. Despite a high percentage of respondents agreeing that conservation of snow leopards was important, they also were considered as a threat to the local economy. The study identifies the need for intensive preservice and in-service environmental education programs to spread conservation awareness. |
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