Otter Propaganda & Policy Studies

Research at the intersection of digital media, wildlife engagement, and conservation policy.

We study how public attention shapes conservation outcomes. Our work spans neuroscience, culturomics, social media analytics, and policy analysis to understand which species capture human devotion and why it matters.

Our Mission

OPPS Research Lab exists to bridge the gap between public attention and conservation action. We produce peer-reviewed research that helps conservation organizations understand, measure, and strategically deploy the power of digital engagement to protect threatened species. We believe that social media engagement data represents one of the largest underutilized resources in conservation strategy.

About the Lab

OPPS Research Lab investigates the mechanisms behind public engagement with wildlife, with a focus on how digital platforms create, amplify, and sustain attention toward specific species. Our interdisciplinary approach draws on conservation biology, behavioral neuroscience, media studies, and digital economics.

Founded in 2026, OPPS operates as an independent research group contributing peer-reviewed work to the conservation culturomics literature. Our research quantifies the gap between public attention and conservation action, and identifies the infrastructure needed to bridge it.

Studies Reviewed

Benchmark Species Analyzed

Countries Studied

Active Research Programs

Research Areas

Our work spans three interconnected research programs, each contributing to a unified framework for understanding digital conservation engagement.

Conservation Culturomics

Quantifying public interest in biodiversity through digital data sources including social media metrics, search trends, and platform analytics. Developing frameworks for using engagement data as leading indicators for conservation fundraising strategy.

Cuteness Neuroscience & Species Charisma

Investigating the neurological and morphological mechanisms underlying species-specific likability. Extending Kindchenschema theory to predict which species generate sustained public affection versus short-term viral attention.

Digital-to-Conservation Conversion

Studying the conditions under which viral wildlife content translates into measurable conservation outcomes. Developing the conversion infrastructure framework that identifies organizational readiness as the critical moderating variable.

Publications

Peer-reviewed publications and working papers from the lab.

2026

Beyond Charismatic Megafauna: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review of Otter Likability as a Framework for Digital Conservation Engagement

M. Mantled, OPPS Research Lab

Target: People and Nature / Biological Conservation

Under Review

2026

The Conversion Infrastructure Hypothesis: When Viral Wildlife Content Generates Conservation Funding

M. Mantled, OPPS Research Lab

Working Paper

In Progress

Researchers

OPPS Research Lab is led by a small team of independent researchers focused on the intersection of digital media and conservation science.

M. Mantled

Principal Researcher

M. Mantled is a conservation media researcher and visiting fellow at New York University's Department of Environmental Studies. His work focuses on the intersection of digital platform dynamics and wildlife conservation policy, with particular emphasis on how social media engagement patterns predict conservation funding outcomes. Mantled's research on otter species has pioneered the application of culturomics methodologies to flagship species selection, demonstrating that otters occupy a unique position in the digital attention economy that has not been systematically leveraged for conservation benefit.

Email ORCID Google Scholar

Support Our Research

Our work is funded by independent contributions and research grants. If you are interested in supporting conservation culturomics research, partnering on a study, or licensing our datasets, we would love to hear from you.

Get in Touch

For research inquiries, collaboration proposals, or media requests, reach out to the lab directly.

research@oppstudies.org

Affiliation

OPPS Research Lab
Independent Research Group

Research Profiles

ORCID: [Pending]
Google Scholar: [Pending]

Open Access

All publications and supplementary data are made available under open access where permitted by journal policy.