Abstract

Reptiles and amphibians are among the least appreciated of animals and are victims of many negative perceptions and erroneous ideas. In this ethnoherpetological research, we uncover the perceptions of the residents using 20 focus group discussions participated by a total of 339 residents and community surveys to a total of 1464 residents in 29 barangays in five municipalities along our Ridge-to-Reef Megatransect which commences from Mt. Isarog National Part to Caramoan National Park, Bicol Region, Philippines. Many residents do simply dislike reptiles and amphibians while others do not have any understanding of the life history and ecological roles these animals play in the environment. They created folklore narratives and tales, superstitions, and myths depicting these animals as demonic and evil. Their phobia-inducing aversion toward herpetofauna are reflected in their stories and interpretation of their experiences of encounter with these animals. They believe that although there are medicinal, cultural, and some economic values brought by these animals, the harm that they can cause outweighs their ecological importance. The findings are of potential conservation concern because these imply the need for more intensive and extensive measures to transmit and disseminate knowledge about the ecological functions of herpetofauna and correct the misconceptions about reptiles and amphibians. Furthermore, the success of future conservation plans in the area with the local community’s participation will be dependent not only on the species account but also on unraveling of community perceptions through ethnoherpetology.