Can CBET drive conservation of the Philippine colugo?

The need to conserve species and local ecosystems has never been more urgent. Conservation efforts have been implemented, but mainly for charismatic and popular species. Unfortunately, those that are less “charismatic and cute” have not received equal attention. Some of them, however, have experienced population declines similar to those of species receiving more funding. There is no universal approach to conservation. What is a common denominator, though, is the need to include local communities. Only with their engagement can we envision long-term conservation success. And here comes CBET!

What it stands for? Community-based ecotourism (CBET) is a sustainable form of tourism. It empowers local communities, especially by involving them in the planning, decision-making, and operation of ecotourism activities. What is the goal of CBET? It is to replace environmentally destructive livelihoods (e.g., logging, quarrying, and wildlife hunting) with sustainable ecotourism. If local people can earn this “green” income, they may develop a greater appreciation for their local environment and become more willing to conserve it. In this way, CBET can promote both nature conservation and the economic well-being of local communities.

So why “CBET”?

The Philippine colugo (Cynocephalus volans), locally known as ‘kagwang’, occurs only in the Philippines. While that may sound like something to be proud of as a Filipino, people actually view colugos with indifference. Locals do not place significant value on them. Worse still… We found that they are hunted for food or killed simply because some locals perceive them as ugly or associate them with bad luck. Yet scientists still know very little about this mysterious nocturnal animal. And while it currently has a ‘Least Concern’ status, local people themselves have noticed a decline in colugo numbers.

So, we asked ourselves: how can we foster a sense of appreciation for colugos among local communities? Perhaps by helping people realize that colugos are actually far more valuable alive than dead or eaten. That is where CBET comes into the picture. Ideally, it will create job opportunities for local people. Together with education campaigns, this may encourage people to care about the animal and its natural habitat. This is particularly relevant in remote and poverty-stricken areas, where conservation is often not prioritized over putting food on the table.

What did we want to know?

CBET can be a double-edged sword, so its potential needs to be carefully assessed before it is launched. If not implemented properly, it may actually harm wildlife and local communities. Therefore, we assessed the potential of the Philippine colugo as a focal species for community-based ecotourism through a multi-stakeholder approach. We selected three municipalities for this study: Anda, Bilar, and Ormoc City.

Colugos occur naturally in these areas, various tourism activities are already in place, and local communities face financial challenges. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 270 local residents and 15 in-depth interviews with Local Government Unit (LGU) officials across the three municipalities. We also conducted an online survey with more than 340 potential tourists from the EU, US, and South Korea. It was intentional to adopt a multi-stakeholder approach because we recognize the importance of each stakeholder in the success of CBET. 

We got interesting results!

Local residents believe that colugos can be a focal species for ecotourism. For them, the Philippine colugo is unique, especially because of its gliding “superpower”. In their opinion, it could attract potential tourists. Respondents also believed that CBET could reduce colugo hunting and create job opportunities in their communities. On the other hand, LGU officials had different opinions across the three municipalities. They differed particularly in their views on whether colugos should be used for tourism, the perceived capacity of their respective communities, and the level of support they could provide for the initiative.

Meanwhile, the online survey among potential tourists yielded some interesting insights. We found that even though most of them were not familiar with the colugo, they still wanted to see the animal in its natural habitat. What’s more, about 64% of the tourists said they would visit this CBET destination within the next five years. Tourists clearly told us that they preferred all-inclusive packages incorporating food, accommodation, and local transportation. We were also able to determine the optimal price for the offer and estimate its potential revenue!

Anda had the highest CBET potential

We analyzed the three municipalities by combining the perspectives of tourists, local residents, and authorities. And the winner is… Anda! The majority of tourists (45%) chose Anda because of its stunning white-sand beaches. Officials also had no doubts that their local community had what it takes to manage CBET independently – particularly in terms of social cohesion and previous training.

We were also able to conceptualize an operational model for CBET that could be successful in Anda. This model was developed based on the different perspectives gathered from local residents, officials, and tourists. It integrates the basic components needed to make CBET effective and sustainable in the long term: management style, revenue allocation, benefit-sharing mechanisms, the CBET offer, and the services provided by local residents.

Our next steps

We are now putting our proposed CBET initiative into practice. But before fully implementing it in Anda, we are piloting it in the village of Subayon, Bilar. Subayon ranked second in terms of suitability for CBET implementation. We have already been discussing and drafting an operational framework with local authorities. Moreover, we have already started training local guides. The marketing strategy is also underway… just a few steps left!

So, “can Philippine colugos drive their own conservation”? Our results suggest the answer is yes, they can. But it will take more than just potential. It will require continued effort and commitment from the local community, visible support from the LGU, and revenue from tourists that can sustain the entire initiative in the long term.

So, come and join us soon as we uncover the fascinating life of the Philippine colugo! 

Author: Krystal Nudalo (Kahibalo Foundation)
Photos: Krystal Nudalo, Marcin Baraniecki