Sociopolitical Determinants of Communities’ Environmental Attitudes in Africa’s Wildlife Tourism and Conservation Landscape

This study explores the factors mediating environmental attitudes and behaviors among communities residing within wildlife tourism destinations in Southern Africa. Guided by political ecology theory and employing a cross-border comparative approach, the research draws on in-depth interviews conducted with purposively selected community representatives involved in wildlife tourism and conservation, including local entrepreneurs, tourism employees, and leaders of community organizations, as well as stakeholders in tourism and conservation in Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. The findings highlight the central role of governance structures, institutional inclusion, and local benefits in shaping environmental attitudes. Education emerged as a strategic lever for instilling proenvironmental behaviors, with conservation education targeting both youth and adults. Climate-induced human–wildlife conflicts further complicated community perceptions of conservation, and subsequently, wildlife. The study underscores the need for integrated and context-driven approaches to examine environmental attitudes, recognizing that sociopolitical dynamics influence conservation behaviors. This research contributes to the growing discourse on environmental attitudes and behaviors of residents in wildlife tourism, offering notable insights from the Southern African context.