Abstract
Informal institutions such as taboos have been neglected in conservation strategies. As a result, conservationists have not succeeded in meeting their conservation goals, partly because protected areas alone are an insufficient solution for biodiversity conservation. This study aims to explore the experts’ views on the role of taboos in biodiversity conservation in South Africa. For this study, a mixed-method research approach was employed, combining both quantitative and qualitative research techniques. Data for this study were collected using a questionnaire. The questionnaire was chosen because it is easy to prepare and administer, offering benefits such as highly accurate data and the ability to collect large-scale samples. The questionnaire included both open and closed-ended questions for data collection. A total of 58 respondents participated in the study, consisting of 48 online participants who received the questionnaire via email and 10 community members, of whom 8 were from Moletlane village, while two were the custodians of sacred sites in Morotse and Ga-Chuene villages who were handed hard copies of the questionnaire and interviewed on the spot as they lacked email or internet access.
Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used to select the study participants. The two techniques were combined to reach a broader range of participants, including those who were not accessible through a single sampling approach. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software was used to analyse closed-ended questions, and a thematic content analysis was used to analyse open-ended questions. The study shows that taboos still exist in various communities across the country, and their importance and effectiveness in natural resources conservation are widely recognised. South African experts respect and appreciate taboos because they regulate human actions, promote the protection of natural resources, foster respect for nature, and preserve traditional ecological knowledge associated with these resources within their communities.
These experts believe that taboos should be integrated with formal approaches. The experts identified opportunities and challenges that would arise when linking taboos with the global goals. Opportunities included gaining new knowledge for conservation, introducing informal conservation measures, creating more land for protected areas, increasing community engagement and compliance, and strengthening the conservation process. Challenges encompassed differing beliefs across areas, religious shifts, and modernisation that weaken the influence of taboos, a lack of documented taboo knowledge, and enforcement difficulties. The study concludes that South African experts agree that taboos play a major role in biodiversity
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conservation and that they value taboos for promoting cultural adherence and sustainability, where formal methods might not succeed.
Although many experts view taboos as helpful for conserving biodiversity, some remain sceptical about their effectiveness because they vary across communities. These experts were not in favour of integrating taboos with formal approaches and global goals, as taboos might be rejected by certain groups, such as policymakers, modernised communities, or younger generations. These findings underscore the significance of taboos in South African communities and their ongoing role in biodiversity conservation. They reflect the need to explore traditional measures, such as taboos, for natural resource conservation, which might help achieve international conservation goals, like the 30x30 biodiversity target. The study recommends that the government or policymakers should recognise indigenous practices, such as taboos, and incorporate them into biodiversity management frameworks. It is also recommended that the environmental sector integrate taboos with formal conservation approaches to enhance the protection of natural resources.