Modeling Perceived Risk from Coyotes Among Chicago Residents

This article examined the influence of urban homeowners’ general wildlife value orientations (i.e., mutualism, domination) and their specific positive beliefs about coyotes on perceived risk from coyotes. Data were obtained from a mail survey of residents in the Greater Chicago Metropolitan Region during 2012 (n = 1,624, response rate = 34%). As predicted, general wildlife value orientations were related to specific positive beliefs about coyotes. Mutualism had a positive relationship with these beliefs, and domination had a negative relationship. As specific beliefs became more positive, perceived risk decreased. Although mutualism was not related to perceived risk, a significant and positive relationship was observed between domination and perceived risk. Residents with a domination orientation were more fearful of coyotes. The two value orientations explained 64% of the variance in specific positive beliefs, and both domination and these beliefs accounted for 20% of the variance in perceived risk. Implications for managing coyotes in an urban setting are discussed.     

Predictors of Extreme Negative Feelings Toward Coyote in Newfoundland

Human–coyote interactions have occurred since the arrival of the species to the island of Newfoundland in 1985. A mail survey (N = 786) of Newfoundland residents was conducted in 2008. The survey explored negative feelings toward coyotes. A four stage hierarchical multiple regression model examined how the dependent variable, “feelings,” was influenced by four independent blocks of variables: “existence beliefs,” “impact beliefs,” “fear,” and “experience and demographic characteristics.” Together the predictors explained 50% of the variability, with existence beliefs accounting for most of the variation (ΔR² = . 45), followed by impact beliefs (ΔR² = .024) and fear (ΔR² = .018). The experience-demographic block of variables accounted for minimal influence (ΔR² = .003) and was not statistically significant. The remaining variability might be explained by emotions. When exploring human–wildlife interactions it is important to understand the role of affect in the formation of attitudes as feelings influence the tolerance and ultimately the willingness to coexist with wildlife.     

Hunter acceptance of antlerless moose harvest in Alaska: Importance of agency trust,proximity of hunter residence to hunting area,and hunting experience

Liberalized harvest of antlerless moose (Alces alces) in Alaska has resulted in conflict between wildlife managers and hunters. To address this issue, I surveyed moose hunters (n = 845, 35% response rate) to quantify and characterize acceptance of antlerless moose harvest. I found that 16%, 69%, and 15% of hunters thought antlerless hunts were always, sometimes, or never acceptable, respectively. Characteristics of the never acceptable group frequently differed from the other two groups. Using a multinomial logistic regression, I estimated that the odds of a hunter being in the never acceptable group was more likely if he/she strongly distrusted agency data (odds = 4.8), resided in the area with antlerless hunts (odds = 3.5), and had >20 years of moose hunting experience (odds = 3.4). My findings imply that a relatively small proportion of hunters can disproportionately direct wildlife management attention, especially in the absence of scientifically derived information on the human dimensions.     

Influence of the Expert Effect on Cultural Models

We examined hunters’ perceptions of fauna to see if expert hunters and other hunters perceive wildlife abundance similarly. We used cultural consensus analysis (CCA) to assess the knowledge of 25 hunters in the Bolivian Amazon about the abundance of 38 animals. CCA indicated highly shared beliefs among hunters concerning wildlife abundance (average agreement = .62). However, expert hunters (as judged by their reported successful hunts of rare species, having hunted recently, and consuming more game in their diet) perceived more animals as abundant than did non-experts, although they all shared the same model. Since the expert hunters did not always agree on which species was more abundant, they had low cultural knowledge scores in CCA results. These experts may be unwilling to curtail hunting efforts on key species that they perceive to be abundant.     

Wildlife Value Orientations: A Quantitative Study of the General Public in Denmark

This article examined value orientations toward wildlife among the adult general Danish public in relation to age, sex, past and present residence, education, and income, using a U.S. survey instrument on Wildlife Value Orientations (WVO). The study used an Internet-based questionnaire sent to a representative sample of the Danish public in 2012 (n = 1,001). As predicted, there was a predominance of mutualists and a large segment of distanced individuals. Sex was the only variable shown to have a pronounced effect on WVO, with females being more mutualist-oriented than males. Information about the general public’s WVO can be used to check against the orientation of other specific groups such as landowners and hunters. It can also prove useful for developing specific hunting and wildlife policies such as certification of wildlife managers.     

Wildlife Value Orientations Among Hunters,Landowners, and the General Public: A Danish Comparative Quantitative Study

This article examined wildlife value orientations among hunters (n = 1,130) and landowners (n = 1,207) in comparison to the general public (n = 1,001 adults) in Denmark, a highly urbanized European country. Respondents were categorized into four value types based on their responses to 19 statements. Significant differences in wildlife value orientations were found. Mutualists and distanced dominated in the public; most landowners and hunters were utilitarian followed by pluralist. Male hunters were more utilitarian than female. More active hunters were more utilitarian; hunters belonging to a hunting association were more utilitarian than those who did not belong to associations. Full-time farmers were more utilitarian than part-time farmers, and conventional farmers were more utilitarian than organic farmers. No significant difference with regard to residence for all three groups was found. Future studies should link what landowners and hunters actually do for the wildlife, and what the influencing factors are (e.g., incentive schemes) with their wildlife value orientations.     

The Applicability of Wildlife Value Orientations Scales to a Muslim Student Sample in Malaysia

This article addresses the applicability of quantitative wildlife value orientation scales in Muslim students in Malaysia. As Malaysian culture is deeply influenced by Islam ideology, this article presents a case for addressing the cross-cultural applicability of the scales. The current wildlife value orientation scales were reliable—all Cronbach’s alphas ≥ .65—and had predictive validity—8 to 14% of variance of acceptability of lethal control was explained. Yet, both reliability and predictive validity were of lesser magnitude than figures in previous Western studies. Especially the hunting beliefs scale did not reflect basic thinking about wildlife in our sample, and our data suggest two different hunting dimensions—consequences of hunting for wildlife and human opportunities for hunting. For future cross-cultural comparisons of wildlife value orientations, amendment of the scales to better reflect salient beliefs in non-Western nations is recommended.     

A Conceptual Model for the Impact of Climate Change on Fox Rabies in Alaska, 1980–2010

The direct and interactive effects of climate change on host species and infectious disease dynamics are likely to initially manifest\ at latitudinal extremes. As such, Alaska represents a region in the United States for introspection on climate change and disease. Rabies is enzootic among arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) throughout the northern polar region. In Alaska, arctic and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) are reservoirs for rabies, with most domestic animal and wildlife cases reported from northern and western coastal Alaska. Based on passive surveillance, a pronounced seasonal trend in rabid foxes occurs in Alaska, with a peak in winter and spring. This study describes climatic factors that may be associated with reported cyclic rabies occurrence. Based upon probabilistic modelling, a stronger seasonal effect in reported fox rabies cases appears at higher latitudes in Alaska, and rabies in arctic foxes appear disproportionately affected by climatic factors in comparison with red foxes. As temperatures continue a warming trend, a decrease in reported rabid arctic foxes may be expected. The overall epidemiology of rabies in Alaska is likely to shift to increased viral transmission among red foxes as the primary reservoir in the region. Information on fox and lemming demographics, in addition to enhanced rabies surveillance among foxes at finer geographic scales, will be critical to develop more comprehensive models for rabies virus transmission in the region.     

Do birdwatchers buy the duck stamp?

Bird watchers (birders) are stakeholders in wildlife conservation; yet, few federal programs provide formal mechanisms for birders to contribute economically to conservation. One exception is the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (duck stamp), a unique conservation tool historically aimed at waterfowl hunters that generates revenue to acquire and protect wetland habitat. This article examined duck stamp purchasing behavior among birders participating in the National Audubon Society’s annual citizen science project, the Christmas Bird Count (CBC) (n = 3,072). Twenty percent of CBC participants had purchased a duck stamp between 2013 and 2015, and about 40% of those purchasers were also hunters. Birding specialization was a key predictor of duck stamp purchasing behavior, with highly specialized nonhunting birders purchasing stamps at rates approximately equal to hunters. Future research should continue to explore reasons birders buy (or do not buy) duck stamps and the broader implications on wildlife conservation.     

When Ecological Information Meets High Wildlife Value Orientations: Influencing Preferences of Nearby Residents for Urban Wetlands

Preferences for landscapes are critical because they can drive landscape changes over time. The mediating role of wildlife value orientations in influencing preferences for urban wetlands through the provision of ecological information (based on insectivorous bats) was experimentally tested. Residents (N = 198) were asked about their preferences for wetlands, as depicted in 27 photographs. Half of the participants were provided with ecological information. Urban wetlands of high habitat quality for bats were preferred by both groups. There was a significant influence of ecological information on preference, although unexpectedly, this was on wetlands of low quality habitat; people who received ecological information had lower preferences for wetlands that provided lower quality habitat for bats. This influence was mediated by wildlife value orientations (wildlife rights and recreational wildlife experiences). Results suggest that preferences for landscapes can be influenced by providing information that is consistent with value orientations.     

Pet Ownership,Attitude Toward Pets,and Support for Wildlife Management Strategies

Pet ownership affects engagement with animal-related activities and may be related to support of wildlife management. British participants (N = 220) completed an online survey providing information on pet ownership, attitudes toward pets, and support for wildlife management strategies. Within this sample, pet owners and individuals with positive attitudes toward pets were less supportive of strategies that put human needs before the needs of wildlife, more supportive of strategies attempting to avoid species extinctions, and opposed to strategies requiring compromises of individual species. Pet owners’ affectionate attitudes toward animals and opposition to their exploitation may be important in dictating attitudes toward wildlife. Conservation planners could apply these findings when seeking support for management strategies that constrain freedoms of pets and wildlife. Utilizing the sympathetic attitudes of pet owners toward animals by focusing on welfare and survival benefits for wildlife species may help foster support for management strategies.     

Emotions as Drivers of Wildlife Stewardship Behavior: Examining Citizen Science Nest Monitors’ Responses to Invasive House Sparrows

Growing evidence suggests wildlife stewardship behaviors might be affected by emotional dispositions toward particular species. To test this hypothesis, we studied wildlife management choices made by backyard citizen scientists (N = 448) involved in two North American bird nest monitoring projects. Our exploratory study characterized nest monitors’ efforts to manage invasive house sparrows, which compete with native songbirds for nesting sites, and examined the relative influence of cognitive and affective factors on management orientations. Results revealed that nearly all respondents engaged in some form of house sparrow management, and most respondents favored a combination of lethal and non-lethal management approaches. Core affect, emotional dispositions, and experiential variables were the primary drivers of citizen scientists’ management decisions, with anger toward house sparrows and firsthand contact with house sparrow damage as the strongest positive correlates of lethal management orientations. Findings highlight the potentially powerful influence of affect and emotions on wildlife stewardship actions.     

Prevalence and significant geospatial clusters of bovine tuberculosis infection at livestock–wildlife interface ecosystem in Eastern Tanzania

Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) is an important neglected zoonosis that affects livestock, wildlife and human. A study to determine prevalence and geospatial clusters for BTB was conducted from June 2010 to March 2012 at livestock–wildlife interface areas (LWIA). A total of 1,288 cattle located in vicinity of Mikumi-Selous ecosystem Tanzania were tested. Single Intradermal Comparative Tuberculin Test and spatial scan statistic analysis were applied to establish the status of the disease and identify significant spatial BTB clusters. Overall individual prevalence was 3.7 % (n?=?1,288) (95 % CI?=?2.8–4.9) and 7.8 % (95 % CI?=?6.4–9.4) with cut-off of >4 and >2 mm, respectively. Villages with at least one reactor were 55.8 % (n?=?43). Reactivity was significantly higher in Mvomero and Kilosa districts compared with Kilombero and Ulanga districts (χ ²?=?15.9; P?<?0.001). Significant spatial BTB clusters were revealed at 11 villages. BTB clustering was significant in Kilosa and Mvomero districts compared with Kilombero and Ulanga districts. There was overlap and aggregation of BTB clusters covering south and south-east of Kilosa district bordering Mikumi National Park (MNP) and Mvomero. Generally, clustering occurred around major rivers. The current study provides useful information on the dynamics and epidemiological status of BTB around the wildlife–livestock–human interface, it reveals that the wildlife are at risk of BTB from infected livestock. The study revealed hotspots for BTB that can be applied to guide implementation of participatory intervention at LWIA and control strategies in marginalised pastoralist communities. This study calls for similar studies in other Tanzania’s LWIA for efficient intervention of BTB countrywide.     

Who Complains About Alligators? Cognitive and Situational Factors Influence Behavior Toward Wildlife

Understanding perceptual and situational factors underlying nuisance complaints can help managers maintain carnivore populations while mitigating conflicts with people. Our study uses data from a mail survey (n = 467 complainants about nuisance alligators, and n = 669 random Florida residents) and a three-step binary logistic regression analysis to examine how general attitudes, specific beliefs, and situational factors influence the behavior of reporting nuisance alligators. Residence adjacent to fresh water, the presence of outdoor pets, higher risk belief scores, higher nuisance belief scores, higher education, and older age were all related to complaining about an alligator, whereas general attitude toward alligators was not. Results are consistent with the “specificity principle” for attitude–behavior correspondence and emphasize the importance of situational factors as behavioral determinants. Targeted harvest areas can help to manage complaints in marginal habitats where risk from alligators is persistent. Information about protective behaviors and benefits of alligators can motivate residents to avoid dangerous encounters.     

What Are They Thinking? Exploring Layperson Conceptualizations of Wildlife Health and Disease

Communication is an important part of wildlife management. Communication strategies based in knowledge of stakeholder understandings of key issues tend to be particularly effective. We conducted focus groups in five states across the United States to evaluate how laypersons conceptualize wildlife health and wildlife disease management. Based on insights from the focus groups, we identified building blocks of layperson mental models for wildlife health. From the layperson perspective, wildlife health was associated with absence of disease; balanced, sustainable populations; healthy animals; habitat quality; and ecosystem health. Wildlife disease was commonly viewed as a natural phenomenon. Factors influencing support for wildlife disease management included the specific methods used, cost, predicted consequences of management, level of uncertainty, and severity of the disease threat. Knowledge attained from these focus groups provides empirical evidence of beliefs and perceptions that influence public understanding and agreement with wildlife disease management.     

The Relationship Between Religion and Attitudes Toward Large Carnivores in Northern India?

Evidence suggests that religion is an important driver of peoples’ attitudes toward nature, but the link between religion and carnivore conservation is poorly understood. We examined peoples’ attitudes in Buddhist (n = 83) and Muslim communities (n = 111) toward snow leopards (Panthera uncia) and wolves (Canis lupus) in Ladakh, India. We found that the effect of religion on attitudes was statistically nonsignificant, and was tempered by gender, education, and awareness of wildlife laws. Even though religion by itself was not an indication of an individual’s attitude toward large carnivores, the extent to which he/she practiced it (i.e., religiosity) had a positive correlation with pro-carnivore attitudes in the case of Buddhist but not Muslim communities. Our findings indicate that it may be useful to integrate locally relevant religious philosophies into conservation practice. However, the emphasis of conservation messaging should vary, stressing environmental stewardship in the case of Islam, and human–wildlife interdependence in the case of Buddhism.     

Relationship between the stockperson's attitudes and dairy productivity in Japan

The aim of this study is to identify the factors that comprise farmer attitudes toward dairy cows and jobs in Japan, and examine the relationship between these attitudes and dairy productivity. At first, we executed a questionnaire survey to determine factors that comprise attitudes of farmers toward their jobs and dairy cows, and three factors were extracted. These were named as ‘Positive beliefs to cows’, ‘Negative beliefs to cows’ and ‘Job satisfaction’, respectively. Second, we examined the relationships between attitude and dairy productivity in 35 dairy farms. The positive beliefs scores correlated positively both with milk yield and milk urea nitrogen concentration. We found there to be three farm groups by cluster analysis using three attitude score. The group B farms showed significantly higher positive beliefs scores and job satisfaction scores; on the other hand, the group C farms showed significantly lower positive beliefs scores and higher negative belief scores. The milk yield in group B was significantly higher than that in group C. This study showed that Japanese farmers' attitudes toward cows considerably resemble those seen in previous studies in Western cultures. Positive attitudes toward cows could enhance stockmanship, and could improving animal welfare and productivity.     

Molecular and Statistical Analysis of Campylobacter spp. and Antimicrobial‐Resistant Campylobacter Carriage in Wildlife and Livestock from Ontario Farms

The objectives of this study were to (i) compare the carriage of Campylobacter and antimicrobial‐resistant Campylobacter among livestock and mammalian wildlife on Ontario farms, and (ii) investigate the potential sharing of Campylobacter subtypes between livestock and wildlife. Using data collected from a cross‐sectional study of 25 farms in 2010, we assessed associations, using mixed logistic regression models, between Campylobacter and antimicrobial‐resistant Campylobacter carriage and the following explanatory variables: animal species (beef, dairy, swine, raccoon, other), farm type (swine, beef, dairy), type of sample (livestock or wildlife) and Campylobacter species (jejuni, coli, other). Models included a random effect to account for clustering by farm where samples were collected. Samples were subtyped using a Campylobacter‐specific 40 gene comparative fingerprinting assay. A total of 92 livestock and 107 wildlife faecal samples were collected, and 72% and 27% tested positive for Campylobacter, respectively. Pooled faecal samples from livestock were significantly more likely to test positive for Campylobacter than wildlife samples. Relative to dairy cattle, pig samples were at significantly increased odds of testing positive for Campylobacter. The odds of isolating Campylobacter jejuni from beef cattle samples were significantly greater compared to dairy cattle and raccoon samples. Fifty unique subtypes of Campylobacter were identified, and only one subtype was found in both wildlife and livestock samples. Livestock Campylobacter isolates were significantly more likely to exhibit antimicrobial resistance (AMR) compared to wildlife Campylobacter isolates. Campylobacter jejuni was more likely to exhibit AMR when compared to C. coli. However, C. jejuni isolates were only resistant to tetracycline, and C.  coli isolates exhibited multidrug resistance patterns. Based on differences in prevalence of Campylobacter spp. and resistant Campylobacter between livestock and wildlife samples, and the lack of similarity in molecular subtypes and AMR patterns, we concluded that the sharing of Campylobacter species between livestock and mammalian wildlife was uncommon.     

History,Location, and Species Matter: Insights for Human–Wildlife Conflict Mitigation From India

Preventing loss of crops, threats to livestock, damage to property, and human injury and death attributed to wildlife are conservation challenges. We surveyed over 5,000 households around 11 reserves in India to examine these issues and mitigation efforts. Crops were lost by 71% of households, livestock by 17%, and human injury and death were reported by 3% of households (losses attributed to 32 species). Households deployed 12 mitigation measures with nighttime watching, scare devices, and fencing used the most. A household’s conflict history (>20 years for livestock loss, 10–20 years for crop loss), proximity to reserves, and crops grown or livestock owned were associated with higher mitigation use. There were differences across reserves, with households in Rajasthan least likely to use mitigation. Crop protection (88%) was more likely than livestock protection (32%). Investments in conflict mitigation should consider the history, location, species, socioeconomic variations among households, and differences in regional policies.