Article ID: 38.019
Live pet trade has become one of the greatest threats to wild primate populations. Many primates were imported to Japan, and the country is considered to be a large pet primates market. Among the primates, slow lorises (Nycticebus spp.) were among the most popular species for live pet trade. However, there is not much awareness in Japan about the problems associated with live pet trade, especially among the young generation. In this study, a comic book about slow lorises was created, and its effectiveness as a teaching material for young people was evaluated. The participants, who answered an online survey, included 596 high school students from two high schools in Osaka, Japan. The participants accessed a comic book, short text, or long text, which served as teaching materials, and answered several questions before and after reading the materials such as their experience with pet primates and awareness of the problems. The results revealed that although the participants’ awareness related to infectious diseases, animal welfare, and conservation increased after reading any of the three teaching materials, the comic book did not increase their awareness more than the texts. Approximately 75 % of the participants found each of the materials interesting. Furthermore, approximately between 32.0 and 40.9% of respondents were willing to share information directly with others and between 14.5 and 16.5% of those with SNS (Social Network Service). No differences were found among the three conditions. In addition, while actual experience with primate pets prevented them from promoting awareness about the problem, their level of interest toward animals and experience with primate pets in SNS did not reveal such an effect. These results suggest the importance of providing information, but effective ways to convey information requires further investigation.
