Study urges broader approach to nature campaigns with ‘flagship entities’

The study aims to move beyond the mainstream animals to draw parallels with nature conservation.

When one thinks of conservation symbols, emblematic species such as pandas, tigers, elephants, polar bears, and dolphins typically come to mind. These iconic animals, known as flagship species, are commonly used in conservation campaigns to capture public attention and mobilise support for environmental goals. However, a new study by an international team of researchers argues that the concept of conservation flagships should be more diverse, extending beyond species to a broader range of categories.

The study, A Unifying Theoretical Framework for Conservation Flagships, authored by Ivan Jarić, Sarah L. Crowley, Jonathan M. Jeschke, Ugo Arbieu, Gabriel Henrique de Oliveira Caetano, Ricardo A. Correia, Arjun Kamdar, Richard J. Ladle, Stefano Mammola, Uri Roll, and Diogo Veríssimo, was recently published in ScienceDirect.

A firefly congregation

According to the authors, the study introduces an inclusive new concept called the "flagship entity" - a term that refers to anything capable of inspiring people to care about nature.

"While a flagship entity certainly can be an animal, it can also be a forest, a coral reef, a ‘celebrity' individual such as ‘Lonesome George' the tortoise, or even a spectacular natural event like mass flowerings, mayfly emergences from rivers, or monarch butterfly migrations - as long as it helps people connect emotionally with a conservation goal," explains Ivan Jarić, a researcher at the University of Paris-Saclay in France and the Czech Academy of Sciences, and the lead author of the study, The study also presents a strategic roadmap for selecting and effectively using the most suitable type of flagship for different audiences and conservation objectives.

A mass blooming of the purple Karvi. Pics/iStock

"We want to encourage conservationists to plan their campaigns more like marketers, selecting their flagships based on public preferences and cultural values," says Diogo Veríssimo from the University of Oxford, a co-author of the study.

A key recommendation of the study is that flagship selection should not be based on assumptions about what works, but rather be guided by audience-specific marketing principles.

A bioluminescent fungi display

"With biodiversity loss threatening ecosystems worldwide, it's crucial to rethink how we inspire public support. We also call for more research into what truly makes a conservation campaign effective - including subconscious audience preferences and economic impacts," said Sarah Crowley from the University of Exeter, another co-author of the study.

"Conservation needs people to take action, and flagship entities can be a powerful tool to build these movements. Choosing the right flagship means thinking carefully about who we're trying to reach and their context - much like designing a marketing strategy. Our study offers a framework to guide that process," said Arjun Kamdar from the University of Cambridge, also a co-author.

"In addition to widely used flagship species like the tiger, flagship entities can also include specific individuals such as Ajooba the leopard or Chinna Thambi the elephant, and even events like the mass blooming of purple Karvi, bioluminescent fungi displays, or firefly congregations," Kamdar added.