Abstract

This study examines species recognition of native and exotic animals among primary school pupils and prospective teachers in Extremadura, Spain, to identify patterns of species-level biological knowledge relevant to biodiversity education and conservation awareness. A total of 201 participants (97 pupils and 104 prospective teachers) completed a questionnaire featuring 24 animal images equally divided between native and exotic species. Both groups showed higher recognition of widely known exotic fauna, whereas recognition of native species varied considerably. Although emblematic native species such as the Iberian lynx and red deer were generally well identified, less conspicuous taxa, including the genet, beech marten, and common wall gecko, were frequently misidentified. Prospective teachers achieved higher overall recognition rates than pupils but still showed notable gaps regarding several locally relevant species. These findings suggest that species recognition may be shaped by uneven educational and cultural exposure and highlight the importance of integrating regionally grounded biodiversity content into school curricula and initial teacher training to support biodiversity conservation-oriented education.

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