Combining TCM and CVM of endangered species conservation programme: Estimation of the marginal value of vultures (Gyps fulvus) in the presence of species-visitors interaction

Introduction Using different valuation techniques in order to estimate the value of endangered species is well documented in the literature. Those benefits can be contrasted against the protection cost or against alternative uses of the habitat that might risk their existence. However, performing a cost-benefit analysis (CBA) should take into account issues such as the value of the marginal individual, tradeoff analysis among competing goals and a feedback interaction between the size of a species’ population versus number of visitors allowed in a particular wildlife park. The central aim of this chapter is to examine how employing the travel cost method (TCM) in conjunction with the contingent valuation method (CVM) can provide insights as to whether the protecting measures and associated allocated budget for the conservation of a particular wildlife species are in accordance with public priorities. This question is examined in a case study assessing the values associated with the protection of the Griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) via the development of one particular protection method, namely feeding stations. We also performed a simple CBA of the total conservation efforts at the national level and compared it with the total benefit derived from the increased number of vultures over a given period of a national protecting plan. Our second aim is to show how valuation techniques can be used for wildlife policy analysis in two other respects: entrance-fee policy and allocation of efforts to protect species among competing sites.