Zoomarine Portugal and the IUCN Species Survival Commission (Species Survival Comission-CSS) have joined forces to establish the first Centre for Species Survival on Behaviour Change (CSS Behaviour Change) in Portugal. In collaboration with the IUCN-SSC Behaviour Change Task Force, the new project aims to become a global hub for integrating behavioural sciences into marine species conservation practices.

The main goal of the CSS Behaviour Change IUCN-Zoomarine is to create a hub in Europe that brings together conservation practitioners, researchers, and policymakers to promote new approaches grounded in behaviour change, in order to address critical biodiversity challenges. By fostering collaboration across disciplines and sectors, the Centre aims to accelerate the integration of behavioural sciences in conservation and in global policy development.

Specifically, the new CSS Behaviour Change IUCN-Zoomarine, located in Zoomarine, will work closely with fishing communities, governmental and non-governmental institutions, and other stakeholders to analyse real conservation behaviours. Based on rehabilitation, recovery and community engagement patterns, the Centre will identify practical behavioural intervention solutions to improve the actions of organizations and professionals involved in marine species conservation.

In addition, the CSS Behaviour Change IUCN-Zoomarine will deliver specialized training programs for conservation practitioners – while establishing standards for intervention design, implementation, and evaluation – and support research on the effectiveness of innovative formats such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and digital influencers in promoting conservation behaviours.

This centre is launched with a dedicated team of multidisciplinary experts in conservation and education from Zoomarine, supported by the experience of the IUCN SSC CEC Behaviour Change Task Force.

“Traditional conservation approaches often focus on biological interventions while overlooking the human behaviours driving species decline”, explained Diogo Veríssimo, President of the IUCN-SSC Behaviour Change Task Force. “This Centre represents a critical step toward aligning conservation efforts with human behavioural patterns, significantly improving outcomes where traditional approaches have shown limited success”, he added.

As a fully accredited member of multiple zoological associations, including the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria, Zoomarine brings extensive networks and practical conservation experience to this pioneering initiative.

“We recognize that the future of conservation lies at the intersection of the ecological and human dimensions”, says João Neves, Director of Science and Conservation at Zoomarine Portugal. “This pioneering Centre allows us to test and implement 21st century conservation strategies that address the root causes of biodiversity loss. By understanding and influencing human behaviour, we are developing solutions that benefit both people and nature, creating a model that can be adapted worldwide”.

Through formal partnerships with local and national authorities, as well as international institutions, the Centre will prioritise behaviour change interventions for marine fauna conservation, building coalitions and capacity to advance these approaches in environmental policy instruments in all Europe.