Wildlife Consumer Behaviour Change Toolkit

“As the global poaching crisis reaches critical levels - as demonstrated in the Global Initiative’s recent report on rhino horn trafficking - addressing the crisis effectively will require strategies aimed at changing consumer behaviour. Research show that the power of the demand is the strongest driver of poaching and illegal wildlife trafficking.”

This toolkit seeks to support efforts to influence purchasing preferences and buyer behaviour for illegal wildlife products. Specifically, it is designed to: support efforts to apply behaviour change principles in demand reduction communications; increase coordination around campaigns and approaches; and reflect on success factors and lessons learned around changing consumer behaviour. The toolkit is intended to be a comprehensive resource for a demand reduction “Community of Practice” (CoP) - all those with a stake, passion, interest, or mandate in changing change consumer behaviour and reduce demand for illegal wildlife products.

It is both a repository of technical information and social and behaviour change communication (SBCC) resources, and also a communication platform and coordination hub for the demand reduction CoP. More than 200 resources are available through a filterable/searchable list. These draw from best practice in behavioural science from fields within and beyond conservation, and include expert interviews, film footage, links to academic and consumer research reports, case studies featuring success stories and lessons learned, TED talks, journal articles, briefing papers, good practice guidance, and other reference material. The more interactive components of the Toolkit include a Webinar Gallery and hosting platform, plus a 'Members Area’ and a series of Discussion Forums, where CoP members can ‘Ask an Expert’, learn more about upcoming events and activities, and share information about their planned campaigns (including messaging and key visuals), to support efforts to improve sector-wide collaboration and coordination.

A Steering Group (SG) has been set up to ensure the Toolkit remains a vibrant and vital resource, both useful to and utilised by members of the demand reduction CoP. This SG includes senior representatives of all the main non-governmental organisations working in demand reduction in Asia, in addition to interested professionals from the private sector and relevant independents. It meets quarterly to exchange news and views, and minutes are posted in the Members Area of the Toolkit.

The Toolkit and DR Community of Practice are supported by the GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit), on behalf of BMZ (Economic Cooperation and Development) and the BMUB (Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety), Germany, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through the Wildlife Trafficking Response, Assessment and Priority Settings (Wildlife TRAPS) project; amongst other donors.