The role of community spiritual and cultural connections in wildlife conservation: A thematic model of social justice and sustainability from cases across the world

Conservation often focuses on specific species, providing insights into the connections among local culture and communities. Cultural and spiritual relationships can be harnessed for better conservation outcomes but must be critically explored, particularly by local community members and cultural experts. Substantial literature documents culture and spirituality tied to human well-being, yet only a small body of work addresses spiritual and cultural ties to wildlife conservation. We document efforts that connect conservation with local cultural and spiritual beliefs. Rather than an exclusionary selection process, local conservationists put forth case studies to share their projects. Based on the collaborators’ experience and expertise, round-table collaborator discussions yielded recommendations and guidelines for culturally relevant, and practice-based local conservation approaches. These are blueprints that can be tailored to other contexts, if community-based practices and research are employed. Conservationists can leverage these recommendations to improve conservation projects and fruitfully develop spirituality and cultural inclusivity in conservation.