How personal values affect conservation initiatives: indigenous community support for conservation in rural Sabah, Malaysia

Purpose Community cooperation and support are essential for effective policy implementation intended to conserve critically endangered animals. However, little is known about what factors might consistently persuade people to engage positively in rural conservation initiatives. Design/methodology/approach For this study, we conducted a cross-sectional survey to investigate how rural communities' conservation activities are influenced by various socioeconomic and environmental factors. We solicited informant perspectives at Borneo, Sabah, Malaysia, using household questionnaires about projects aiming to preserve multiple endangered wildlife species, such as Bornean orangutan ( Pongo pygmaeus ), Borneo pygmy elephant ( Elephas maximus borneensis ) and proboscis monkey ( Nasalis larvatus ). Many of these animals are found in the international recognised sanctuary, the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary (LKWS). We concentrated our inquiries on residents of Kinabatangan Sabah. Findings Social, economic and environmental factors all have significant influences on Indigenous support for conservation, albeit their effects vary: perceived social impacts from protected area (PA), ß = 0.145, p < 0.05; perceived economic impacts of tourism, ß = 0.226, p < 0.01 and environmental with governance, ß = 0.448, p < 0.01; were all significant and have positive influence on the dependent construct, local support for conservation (i.e. SupCon). Personal reasons do not seem to affect this relationship, ß = 0.059, p > 0.05. Practical implications The findings show that social perceptions, economic benefits and environmental values remain the principal elements that drive Indigenous people of the Kinabatangan region to support conservation initiatives at the gazetted sanctuary. Originality/value Emerging studies worldwide show the importance of connecting ecological conservation studies with a good understanding of human values to improve conservation outcomes. This study examines the motivational factors driving local involvement to provide valuable insights into fostering local socioeconomic improvement and aligning it with the success of conservation efforts. This study is the first to assess how personal values impact Indigenous support for conservation in Kinabatangan.