Reducing the social acceptability of wildlife trafficking through behavior change interventions

Abstract

Behavior change interventions aimed at reducing the social acceptability of wildlife trafficking are an important part of efforts to prevent wildlife crime. This policy brief summarizes lessons learned about how to develop and frame effective messages in the context of these interventions, based on field work conducted in Uganda. A key first step is to narrowly identify the right target audience. While a general public awareness campaign may have its merits, it may be more effective to focus on those identified as most vulnerable to participating in wildlife trafficking, namely young men, those that live around wildlife trafficking hotspots and those involved in trade