Exploring human-biodiversity interactions across Malta and Gozo

Abstract

In the context of widespread rapid urbanisation, extinction of experience, i.e., the significant loss of interactions with the non-human world, is emerging as a concern. This can be driven both by lack of opportunity for such interactions and of individuals’ orientation towards nature. However, limited literature persists on the nature and extent of human-biodiversity interactions. This study therefore aimed to explore the nature and extent to which members of the general Maltese and Gozitan public have direct interactions with a selection of ten local species of flora and fauna, respectively. Opportunity and nature orientation were explored in tandem with the potential mediating role of personal characteristics and species traits. This research employed a two-stage exploratory sequential design. Expert interviews and a qualitative survey instrument in the first stage led to the shortlisting of species to be considered for the subsequent survey phase. Results revealed that opportunity is characterised by reduced ease of access, views, and quality of green and natural spaces; participants exhibited willingness to travel further to access green and natural spaces of higher quality. All species of flora and all, but three, species of fauna exhibited direct interactions with less than 50 percent of participants. Knowledge largely extended towards charismatic local biodiversity. The extent to which conservation of Maltese flora and fauna is important was mainly influenced by the status of a species to the Maltese Archipelago, with fauna deemed more desirable than flora of local conservation measures. Variables such as age and gender were found to have no correlation to the level of direct interactions. This research briefly highlighted the nature and extent of the extinction of experience across the Maltese Islands; wider, more in-depth studies are encouraged.