Knowledge, attitude, perceived threats and conservation challenges of the critically endangered White-bellied Heron, Ardea insignis, in Bhutan

Understanding the human aspects of wildlife, especially awareness, perceptions and attitudes, is important for fostering species knowledge, positive attitudes and support for conservation efforts, as well as for designing sound conservation and management practices. However, no studies have yet been conducted on the knowledge, attitude, perceived threats and conservation awareness of the critically endangered White-bellied Heron, Ardea insignis. To fill this gap, an online survey (N = 513) was conducted using Google Forms across the east, west, central and south regions of Bhutan in 2024 from February to May. Descriptive analysis revealed that over half (52.8 %) of the Bhutanese have limited knowledge, while a majority (82 %) showed a positive attitude towards the White-bellied Heron. GLMM analysis revealed that the knowledge was significantly influenced by gender and parents’ occupation. Likewise, there was a significant association between gender, age, education level, occupation and conservation awareness. Further, the results revealed that the perceived threats and conservation challenges are primarily anthropogenic, with nest predation also being a key driver of the White-bellied Heron decline. Taken together, these results underscore the need to fill the knowledge gap among the Bhutanese people and address the current threats and conservation challenges of the White-bellied Heron. We recommend that relevant stakeholders, including media and educational institutions, should optimize conservation awareness through environmental education outreach and broader public engagement.