Environmental education for basic education students and perception of the adult rural population about Crocodylus acutus (Cuvier, 1807) (Crocodylia: Crocodylidae) in Sinaloa, Mexico
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21829/azm.2025.4112704Palabras clave:
biodiversity, crocodile ecology, ecological workshop, learningResumen
Due to anthropogenic pressures, wildlife faces challenges in sharing resources and habitat with humans, which leads to conflicts between them. Environmental education is an accepted resource to shape human behavior and perception towards wildlife, improving a pacific interaction. This study aimed to raise awareness in students from basic education (elementary and middle school), about the biodiversity of Mexico and the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) biology, as well as studying adults’ perception about this crocodile species in three communities from Navolato, Sinaloa, Mexico. Two workshops were designed and conducted in October 2022 to basic education students; and semi-structured surveys were also applied to the adult population. Students demonstrated unsatisfactory knowledge about the biodiversity of Mexico and crocodile biology, reflecting on the lack of knowledge of basic biology concepts. Adults over 62 years old dominated the surveyed population. The 53.5% of respondents considered a risk for crocodiles to live near their homes. However, 71% stated that there are no human-crocodile confrontations. Population from two of the three studied communities expressed a fear of crocodiles due to the impact of floods on their homes, facilitating crocodile invasion. Both, students and adults agreed that crocodiles require protection. It is necessary to strengthen the knowledge about natural resources and the crocodile populations near these human settlements, to create training programs for human-wildlife coexistence, based on the land planning of the area, and to the creation of protected areas for crocodile conservation.
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