Local Perception, Values, and Conservation Attitude towards Brahminy Kites (Haliastur indus Boddaert, 1783) in Tugbok District, Davao City, Philippines

Abstract

Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus Boddaert, 1783), locally known as Banog, is a diurnal raptor extant in the Philippines. This species is an essential bioindicator of ecological health. However, due to human persecution and habitat loss, there is a rapid population decline in the Philippines. Interestingly, H. indus has been observed in a suburban town in Los Amigos, Tugbok District, Davao City, perching on trees alongside the Davao to Bukidnon national road. This study aims to determine the influence of human perception and values towards the conservation of H. indus through multiple linear regression. Seventy (70) households were interviewed on their perception, values, and conservation attitude. It was found that H. indus is considered a pest to aquaculture because it feeds on the fingerlings of Hito (Siluriformes sp.) and Tilapia (Oreochromis sp.). However, locals still support conservation due to existing laws. This result highlights the importance of laws in deterring criminal offenses against wildlife. There is a need to strengthen law enforcement and develop a conservation education program to foster positive perception, values, and conservation attitude. These are efficient and sustainable approaches to accomplish conservation goals. Keywords: Haliastur indus, ecological knowledge, perception, values, conservation attitude, Philippines INTRODUCTION Brahminy Kites (Haliastur indus Boddaert, 1783), locally known as “Banog” for their kite-like flight pattern, are middle-sized birds of prey distributed around Southeast Asia and in other parts of the world. They thrive in environments like shorelines, riversides, mountains, forests, urban and suburban areas. Their primary diet includes carrions, insects, and fishes (BirdLife International, 2016; Sivakumar & Jayabalan, 2004). The birds of prey are well-studied because of their high ecological importance. They are considered sensitive bioindicators of environmental changes or habitat quality (Padoa-Schioppa et al., 2006; Rodriguez-Estrella et al., 2008). The shifting of H. indus to urban habitats could indicate high predation pressure (Roshnath et al., 2019). Meanwhile, H. indus is also culturally significant as they are regarded as the official mascot of Jakarta, Indonesia (Debus et al., 2020; Jakarta, 2015). H. indus