Conserving desert biodiversity through crocodile-based ecotourism in Mauritania

Ecotourism helps preserving biodiversity and enhancing local communities’ livelihoods, but little research was done in deserts to date. This study will investigate the suitability of Mauritanian rock-pools for the development of West African crocodile-based ecotourism and how it may improve the species conservation. Biodiversity, environmental and cultural data will be collected. Contingent valuations will be performed to estimate the ecotourism ability to preserve crocodiles. All data will be integrated to rank rock-pools in terms of their potential for ecotourism development and to provide a pilot-framework of the capacity of ecotourism to preserve natural and cultural resources in deserts.