Abstract
Betta livida is an endangered endemic species of wild fighting fish affected by habitat degradation and exploitation. Despite this concern, the literature on the conservation of wild betta is negligible. Conservation is a non-use value, whereas the species itself is a use-value because they are sought after in the ornamental fish trade business. Therefore, the contingent valuation method (CVM) was applied in this study to establish the monetary value for species conservation by determining hobbyists’ willingness to donate (WTD) for conservation. Fish hobbyists are the most prominent backbone of the industry and are the most acquainted with the targeted species. Hence, hobbyists’ knowledge, perceptions and attitude towards species conservation have also been explored and weighed against the WTD. Purposive sampling was employed with a total of 150 respondents in Klang Valley. The findings show that the WTD was influenced by double-bound CVM, age (AGE) and hobbyists who owned the species (OWNB). In contrast, knowledge, perceptions and attitudes were not significant. Using probit regression analysis, hobbyists’ WTD for species conservation was MYR 9.04 annually. The survey also revealed concern for species that are wild-caught by hobbyists. Hence, the results of this study offer preliminary insights into the WTD for wild betta and local freshwater fish conservation in Malaysia.
Highlights
(2005) [1] described numerous wild betta species found in Malaysia, including B. coccina, B. persephone and B. livida, the latter of which are the focus of this study
Betta livida is an example of an endemic species of the peat swamp forest in SelanThe recent issuance of a local state government proposing the degazetting of the North gor, which is in the Klang Valley (KV) area, a hub for rapid modern development
Hobbyists responded to Likert-type scaled questions with a score for a series of perception statements contributing to willingness to donate (WTD) for the species conservation
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Tan and Ng [1] described adult B. livida as having small, unique bodies (the standard length is less than 40 mm), with a uniform deep red (maroon) body colour They have midlateral bodies and both genders have an iridescent green blotch that often fades throughout adulthood. B. coccina is black and they are found in different geographic areas This classical look of wild betta and their rareness has made this species the most sought after in the ornamental fish trade. They have mid-lateral bodies and both genders have an iridescent green blotch that often fades.
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