Conflict and Impacts Generated by the Filming of Discovery Channel’s Reality Series “Naked and Afraid” in the Amazon: A Special Case in the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve, Ecuador

Carlos Mestanza, Hilter Figueroa Saavedra, Isabel Domínguez Gaibor, Manuel Abarca Zaquinaula, Rita Lara Váscones and Oswaldo Malla Pacheco
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Carlos Mestanza: Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo, Extensión Norte Amazónica, Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Puerto Francisco de Orellana, Orellana 51002, Ecuador
Hilter Figueroa Saavedra: Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo, Extensión Norte Amazónica, Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Puerto Francisco de Orellana, Orellana 51002, Ecuador
Isabel Domínguez Gaibor: Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo, Extensión Norte Amazónica, Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Puerto Francisco de Orellana, Orellana 51002, Ecuador
Manuel Abarca Zaquinaula: Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo, Extensión Norte Amazónica, Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Puerto Francisco de Orellana, Orellana 51002, Ecuador
Rita Lara Váscones: Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo, Extensión Norte Amazónica, Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Puerto Francisco de Orellana, Orellana 51002, Ecuador
Oswaldo Malla Pacheco: Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo, Extensión Norte Amazónica, Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Puerto Francisco de Orellana, Orellana 51002, Ecuador

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-15

Abstract: Conflicts and ecological impacts in natural protected areas can arise for various reasons. The behavior of social stakeholders in the face of conflict is the object of study. Their reactions can be varied according to the personal interests of the parties. Conflicts can cause changes in the communities, incomprehensibly affecting the environment and ultimately transforming their lives. Although the environmental impacts have generally been well studied in protected areas, after reviewing the literature, it was observed that very few studies exist on the local economic conflicts that frequently arise. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the socio-ecological conflicts and impacts generated by the filming of the American reality series Naked and Afraid , produced by the Discovery Channel in the Ecuadorian Amazon—a special case in the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve. The data was gathered from numerous primary sources, including field interviews with the regional stakeholders involved and a video analysis of the Discovery Channels’ Naked and Afraid . The results of our study conclude several interesting insights into various social and ecological conflicts and their resulting impacts on the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve. The first of these concerns the high impacts mainly associated with biotic components in the Reserve. The second set of interesting findings are social conflicts that were caused by the discontent of the Indigenous communities in relation to royalties and compensations left by the filming.

Keywords: conservation conflicts; protected areas; economic compensation; reality series (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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