Understanding Peoples Attitudes and Behavior Towards Wildlife: Designing a Theory of Change for the Demand Reduction of Bear Products in Cambodia

The purpose of this project is to counter wildlife trafficking in Southeast Asia, specifically in Cambodia, by developing a Theory of Change to reduce demand for bear parts.

This project is intended to conserve vulnerable bear species, including the Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus) and the sun bear (Helarctos malayanus), by addressing the impacts of increased poaching pressure for meat/parts, traditional Chinese medicine, and other products.

Specific activities will include: (1) conducting surveys and focus groups with Cambodian residents on their attitudes towards and behaviors regarding bear parts use; (2) leading human-centered design and social marketing tools to design and test behavior change tools across different social and geographical contexts; (3) presenting final behavior change strategy and tools through interactive workshops at each study site; and (4) training and knowledge transfer to Cambodian partners such as Free The Bears and the Royal University of Phnom Penh.