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How empathy-based sensitisation and knowledge reinforcement affect policy compliance: a case study of dolphin watching, Ecuador

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 July 2021

Ricardo Villalba-Briones Open the ORCID record for Ricardo Villalba-Briones [Opens in a new window] ,
Mariela A. González-Narvaez  and
Tomas Vitvar
Ricardo Villalba-Briones*
Affiliation:
ESPOL Polytechnic University, Escuela Superior Politecnica del Litoral, Facultad Ciencias de la Vida, Campus Gustavo Galindo Km. 30.5 Via Perimetral, P.O. Box 09-01-5863, Guayaquil, Ecuador
Mariela A. González-Narvaez
Affiliation:
ESPOL Polytechnic University, Escuela Superior Politecnica del Litoral, Facultad Ciencias de la Vida, Campus Gustavo Galindo Km. 30.5 Via Perimetral, P.O. Box 09-01-5863, Guayaquil, Ecuador
Tomas Vitvar
Affiliation:
ESPOL Polytechnic University, Escuela Superior Politecnica del Litoral, Facultad Ciencias de la Vida, Campus Gustavo Galindo Km. 30.5 Via Perimetral, P.O. Box 09-01-5863, Guayaquil, Ecuador
*
*Corresponding author: E-mail: rvillalba@espol.edu.ec
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Abstract

Cetacean watching is an increasingly popular economic activity in Ecuador for tourism operators. Despite government regulations, cetacean watching can have a negative impact on observed animal populations. To enhance good dolphin-watching practices, a course was carried out in Puerto El Morro, Ecuador about sensitisation activities promoting empathy towards and knowledge about bottlenose dolphins, local avifauna and mangrove ecosystems. The course provided tourism operator staff with theoretical and practical knowledge on dolphin physiology and ecology, with a focus on empathy towards the species and on regulations to be respected during the watching tours. The course included interactive workshops, didactic materials, advice, video screening and structured conversations. Two innovative questionnaires were implemented on the boat during 68 dolphin-watching tours to evaluate whether the training course had improved the regulation compliance and on-tour guiding quality of the tour guides and boat drivers. The results showed a statistically significant improvement in dolphin-watching practices in compliance with the “Regulations for the Whale and Dolphin Watching of Ecuador” (p = .0002) and in guidance quality (p = .0004) after the training course. Boat drivers were identified as influential actors in compliance with regulations and should also be included in the environmental awareness training courses. The study showed that empathy-based sensitisation and knowledge reinforcement positively affect policy compliance and can generate new sustainable approaches for future dolphin-watching activities.

Keywords

empathyecotourismdolphin-watchingenvironmental awarenessmanagementguidelinesenvironmental education
Type
Research/Practice Articles
Information
Australian Journal of Environmental Education , Volume 37 , Issue 3 , November 2021 , pp. 285 - 305
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Copyright
© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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