Students' Wildlife Values (Ecosystem Services) Awareness in Mudumu South Complex, Zambezi Region, Namibia

Abstract

Youth, the country's future, must be informed of wildlife values to follow in the present generation's conservation efforts. This research assessed learners' wildlife-based ecosystem service knowledge in Wuparo and Balyerwa community conservancies. The knowledge and awareness procedures that introduce wildlife resources and their benefits shape learners' lifelong wildlife attitudes, values, and behaviours. The target population was students and teachers (control group) were randomly selected from eight indiscriminately selected schools in the two randomly selected conservancies to complete questionnaires. Students knew wildlife offers ecological services. They also recognise temporary services' concrete advantages over other ecosystem services. Awareness did not correlate with gender (P = 0.259), age (P = 0.374), or education (P = 0.129). Awareness and education correlated positively (R2 = 0.9995). The availability of wildlife-related courses, school location, absence of environmental clubs, and misunderstanding about wildlife influenced learner awareness. Supporting young natural resources education and environmental and wildlife groups may help wildlife and environmental conservation.