A Systemic Approach to Understand the Conservation Status and Viability of the Critically Endangered Cat Ba Langur

Abstract

Wildlife conservation is a dynamically complex system, linking seemingly disparate biological and cultural components. This article offers policy professionals an illustration of how a dynamically complex system was diagnosed by applying the system dynamics approach. An integrated method was applied to develop a causal loop diagram, showing the interconnected variables within the system, relating to the conservation status and viability of Cat Ba Langur. Rural poverty, low livelihoods options, human population growth, inappropriate tourism planning and weak management capacity are challenges that have prevented the langur population from increasing over the last decades. Tragedy of commons and shifting the burden systems archetypes were identified and then leverage points for saving the species were proposed. A shift towards the systems perspective of viewing wildlife conservation as the dynamically complex system enables decision-makers to avoid the unintended consequences emerging from the linear thinking, and find sustainable solutions for both wildlife and human.