While your question could be answered in reference to multiple disciplinary perspectives, I'm best equipped to discuss it from a biological perspective, so my answer will focus on issues relating to ecology.

Identifying the extent to which local cultures identify species along the same lines as western science might be even more valuable than finding out about local uses of species, since the former could reveal the existence of cryptic species. While this isn't a likely outcome, the possibility is still worth looking into. After all, finding out that what initially appeared to be a single species is actually a pair of species would be a big deal with a bearing on understanding local biodiversity.

I would suggest that you also focus on asking questions and gathering data bearing on aspects of local knowledge that would coincide with or inform an ecological understanding of species: what is known or suspected about preferred habitat (including microhabitat needs), preferred prey or food, and time of activity (i.e., factors that would allow you to define species in terms of their niches).

Moving beyond that to find any local knowledge bearing on what species prey on, compete with, modify habitat or engage in behaviors to the advantage or detriment of focal herp species might also be instructive and lead you in interesting, fruitful directions.

Best of luck with your project!

Hi Kier!

Another interesting and very important issue to evaluate is how people react to this type of organisms. This can be called "perception", "biophilia", "biophobia", among other terms. Taking into account that amphibians and reptiles aren't perceived as charismatic as other gruops, it's important to provide information on the aspects that make them less-liked by people because, in the end, this is highly related to direct threats (i,e. poisoning, persecution and kill). Therefore, is a conservation matter.

With this type of information, social approaches of conservation plans can be much more precise on solving human-biodiversity conflicts.

Hope this helps,

Juan

Could also consider animal collections (zoos) and to what extent their herpetofauna represents those in their country (usually will be biased towards Komodo dragons, and poison dart frogs)

Ask the people you interview if they are aware of indirect uses. For example, do they know which herpes help protect crops and wild useful plants from destructive rodents, insects, large bird flocks, etc.? Do they teach this to their children? How do they teach this or how were they taught this? Also how do they teach their kids to tell them apart, and how to behave around them? Is fear playing a role in how they respond to these animals? How does that play against seeing them as useful? You should talk to a wide sample of the population representing different roles in their culture. Hunters may not want to admit to fear. Are there any songs, fables, idioms or stories about these animals that they will share with you? May want a tape recorder for that too. All of this could be useful for conservation work, and gaining cooperation with conservation plans from the local population. They may also offer information about specific plants that are eaten by, shelter, or are otherwise used by these animals. If so, be prepared to collect herbarium specimens, indigenous names for these plants, and ask how they identify them. Please include basic ecological information and a description of how the plant looks while growing, with your plant labels.