Striking a balance between tradition and conservation: General perceptions and awareness level of local citizens regarding turtle conservation efforts based on age factors and gender

The population of marine green turtle (Chelonia mydas) has been severely declining annually, emphasizing the importance of conservation actions to rectify the situation. The population decline is mostly caused by rampant human activities and lack of awareness for the endangered animals. Current top-down management and awareness program implementation needs to be improved. For example, community-based conservation is a valuable tool to educate local communities on their obligations to the environment. This study assessed the green turtles awareness level based on age and gender of the local residents in Setiu, Terengganu, a popular ecotourism location in Malaysia. Male respondents have shown a significantly higher level of awareness compared to female (mean = 28.862 +/- 0.494, (F(1, 770) = 16.688, p < 0.001). Assessment based on the age factor has shown that older respondents scored significantly lowest than other age groups (mean = 21.1899 +/- 1.0595, (F(1, 770) = 8.967, p < 0.001). Our result on turtle eggs consumption showed that most of the locals have stopped consuming turtle eggs. We also outlined several plans on education and community-based conservation efforts that could further strengthen the conservation effort. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.