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.     

How Messaging Shapes Attitudes toward Sea Otters as a Species at Risk

To address the drivers of biodiversity loss, conservation efforts must attend to public attitudes toward endangered species. Using sea otters as a species at risk, we examined how messaging shapes people’s attitudes toward this species. Participants viewed a message about sea otters that was either positive (sea otters as keystone species), negative (resource conflict with local fishermen), or neutral (biological facts). The impact of the message on people’s attitudes was measured using Kellert’s typology of basic attitudes toward wildlife. We found that the negative message promoted people’s interests in the practical value of sea otters (utilitarian-consumption attitudes), their habitats (utilitarian-habitat attitudes), and control over sea otters (dominionistic attitudes), even though the negative message was perceived as less convincing and believable than positive or neutral messages. The positive message decreased utilitarian-consumption attitudes, and the neutral message decreased utilitarian-habitat attitudes. Our findings suggested that messaging can influence public attitudes toward wildlife.     

Qualitative Measures of Wildlife Value Orientations with a Diverse Population in New York City

This article reports on the development and implementation of a qualitative methodology to measure wildlife value orientations (WVOs) in a focus group setting, with the ultimate goal of developing a technique to help with cross-cultural assessments of WVOs. Information provided by such assessments can assist conservation organizations in understanding and meeting the needs of an increasingly diverse population. The technique was administered to Latino and Chinese-American audiences in New York City. Focus group participants were shown a series of photographs depicting wildlife and human–wildlife interactions, and asked to individually evaluate each photograph and discuss their reactions. Results revealed this methodology to be effective in eliciting WVOs. Four WVO types recognized from previous literature were identified across the groups based on participant comments. This article concludes with suggestions on how to improve this methodology for future use and adapt it for applications in other settings.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

Information Spread in a Region of Human–Mountain Lion Coexistence

The media has a significant role in spreading information about human–wildlife conflict, yet it is not the only information source available. The extent to which the public receives information about conflict from various sources, especially in areas where it is occurring, has not been well established. A questionnaire survey and media content analysis are used to uncover how the public receives information about mountain lion (Puma concolor) issues in Santa Cruz County, California. In the region, individuals had substantial experience with mountain lions. Residents also discussed mountain lion issues with friends and neighbors nearly as often as they read about them. In newspaper articles, citizens were cited more than any other group, including government agencies, scientists, and nongovernmental organizations. Understanding the high levels of public experience and information sharing can lend managers insight into attitudes, risk perception, and knowledge, while revealing opportunities for outreach beyond increasing media presence.     

Hunters’ knowledge,attitudes, and practices towards wildlife diseases in Ohio

This article used ethnographic methods to examine how Ohio hunters’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices affect risk exposure to infectious disease. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with hunters from Southeast Ohio, and an online survey was distributed to a random sample of licensed Ohio hunters. Data analyses indicated that Ohio hunters learn about wildlife disease through word-of-mouth, hunting publications, and online sources. They perceived low-to-no risk of exposure to infectious diseases. Although hunters were generally knowledgeable about infectious wildlife diseases, they were more concerned about the impact on wildlife populations than their own health. The results contribute to a better understanding of the role of hunter behavior in response to disease events, the identification of future interventions that would most effectively inform hunters about wildlife diseases, and how to minimize their risk of exposure.     

Discourses of Elk Hunting and Grizzly Bear Incidents in Grand Teton National Park,Wyoming

Incidents of human–wildlife conflict can solidify participant perspectives and expectations, and reveal underlying social and institutional dynamics. We describe and analyze two incidents of conflict between hunters and grizzly bears in 2011 and 2012. Both incidents were associated with the controversial elk hunt in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. We gathered quotes from opinion-editorials and interviews, categorized quotes according to type, and used cluster analysis to identify discourses and associated coalitions of participants. We examined how participants defined problems, used evidence, and advocated solutions in relation to these incidents. Participant discourses addressed technical and procedural issues of regional wildlife management that extended beyond these incidents, revealing divergent expectations about wildlife management on public lands. Existing decision-making processes dominated by government agencies do not appear to be addressing these expectations. We recommend an integrative, outside appraisal of regional elk management to address conflict and support ecologically sound decision-making that serves common interests.     

Communicating the risks of handling bats: analysing approaches used by Australian stakeholders in the context of Australian bat lyssavirus

Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV) is a member of the Lyssavirus genus of the Rhabdoviridae family and is found in Australian bat species. It is of public health concern because of the rabies-like syndrome it causes in humans, resulting in government health and wildlife agencies using varied communication approaches to inform targeted audiences about zoonotic risks associated with handling bats. Despite these warnings, the number of reports of human-bat interactions remains high. This paper details a survey conducted to analyse the approaches utilised by a range of stakeholders to educate and communicate warnings to their target audiences. The survey focused on identifying the target audiences, communication methods used, along with the message frequency, content, and perceived effectiveness. Analysis of the top three messages delivered by stakeholders revealed that over half were information-focused messages and over a third, instruction-focused. Stakeholders identified the need to balance messaging about bat handling risks with information regarding the vulnerable status of bats and their environmental significance. Whilst the most common and (perceived) effective method of communication was one-on-one discussions, it was also identified to be ineffective for targeting mass audiences leading stakeholders to recognise the need to adapt to more efficient means of communication. The outcomes of this study may be useful to improve risk communication strategies regarding ABLV in Australia.     

Measurement of Wildlife Value Orientations Among Diverse Audiences: A Multigroup Confirmatory Factor Analysis Among Hispanic and Non-Hispanic White Communities

Wildlife value orientations (WVOs) are increasingly being used to describe broad societal shifts that are altering the way people perceive wildlife. Concurrent with these shifts is a diversification of cultural heritages that complicate comparisons of WVOs across cultures. Yet, when measuring WVOs across cultures, differences in WVOs may be genuine variations between the populations, or may be artifacts of the measurement instrument. Therefore, there is a need to determine if various cultures interact with the instrument uniformly. Three multiple group confirmatory factor analyses (MGCFA) examined how ethnicity, acculturation, and language spoken are related to a WVO scale’s performance within Hispanic and non-Hispanic white communities. Results of each MGCFA support the cross-cultural stability of the WVO factor structure. Additional cross-cultural WVO research is needed to expand the construct and assist natural resource practitioners in understanding diverse constituencies, but conducting a MGCFA analysis should be a necessary precondition when comparing WVOs across cultures.     

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.     

Explaining Anti-Angling Sentiments in the General Population of Germany: An Application of the Cognitive Hierarchy Model

A cognitive hierarchy framework was used for understanding the impact of two wildlife value orientations (WVO), domination and mutualism, on anti-angling sentiments in Germany. We also explored anthropomorphism (i.e., attribution of sentience and pain perception to animals), attitudes toward animal rights, and attitudes toward recreational and catch-and-release angling as constructs that might mediate the influence of WVO on the support for a ban on recreational angling. Data from 1,043 randomly selected persons were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results supported the suitability of WVO to explain the moral acceptability of recreational fishing mediated by animal rights ideology. We found little effect of anthropomorphism on attitudes toward recreational fishing. We conclude that convincingly answering the question of whether or not fish feel pain is unlikely to alter the social climate related to recreational fishing. By contrast, an increase of mutualism WVO in Germany is likely to elevate negative resentment to recreational fishing.     

Understanding Peer Influence in Hunter Harvest Decisions Using Social Network Theory and Analysis

State wildlife agencies are increasingly seeking the advice and cooperation of wildlife stakeholders, including that of private hunting cooperatives. While there is some evidence that the interests and actions of private deer cooperatives align with those of state wildlife agencies, little is known about the internal social mechanisms that explain this. Social network theory and analysis can shed some light on these internal group dynamics. This article used egocentric network analysis to examine the effect of peer groups on the antlerless harvest decisions of individuals in private deer cooperatives. Our primary result was that the members of one’s egocentric network influence the harvest behavior of that individual, providing some evidence for the potential of social network theory and analysis to understand and improve on the strategies used to address a variety of resource-related problems in wildlife management and conservation.     

The role of wildlife tourism in conservation of endangered species: Implications of safari tourism for conservation of the Arctic fox in Sweden

There are both positive and negative impacts on wildlife associated with wildlife tourism. In Sweden, the endangered Arctic fox is subject to a growing tourist interest. In the Helags mountain region there are guided Arctic fox safari tours that provide visitors with information about the Arctic fox. A survey of five separate groups of visitors in the region revealed that knowledge about the status of Arctic foxes and awareness of the behavioral guidelines for Arctic fox encounters improved after participation in a safari tour and with increasing Arctic fox interaction. We propose a schematic model summarizing the diverse ways in which wildlife tourism affects wildlife and their relative importance for conservation. The Arctic fox population in Sweden is small and sensitive to disturbance, but the positive impacts of Arctic fox tourism seem to compensate for the negative and contribute to their conservation under the current level of tourism pressure.     

Comparing Student and Professional Responses Toward Advocacy in Science

To advance the conversation about scientists’ roles in advocacy, we conducted an exploratory study examining the perspectives of students alongside those of academic faculty and other natural resource professionals. We surveyed wildlife and natural resource students and professionals, mostly in the Southeastern United States, and found areas of agreement and contention that can be used for promoting communication across groups engaged in science and policy. Groups disagreed about what actions constitute advocacy and what roles are acceptable for scientists, but groups agreed scientists should engage in advocacy to influence policy. The majority of respondents lacked previous formal training about these topics. Given growing support for closer relationships between scientists and advocacy seen in this and other published works, our findings suggest that educational opportunities be made available to emerging and established scientists. Opportunities should foster a deeper understanding of the science–advocacy nexus and aid in making informed decisions about the appropriate role of scientists.     

Livestock–wildlife joint land use in dry lands of Kenya: A case study of the Lolldaiga Hills ranch

This study aimed to examine livestock–wildlife interactions at the micro level and to quantify how resources are shared in joint land use by comparing the monitoring records collected on the Lolldaiga Hills ranch in Laikipia, Kenya from 1990s onwards. Livestock and wildlife distributions together with existing water points were geo‐referenced; by air and road census total animal biomass densities were estimated. Through 38‐h observation at a water point, livestock–wildlife interaction was recorded. During this period, water decline has been identified as an acute factor for farming and ranching. It was found that distributions of livestock and wildlife were related to water and pasture availability during the severe drought in 2009. Although there is seasonality in densities of both livestock and wildlife populations, results of air census indicated that the stable resident populations of wildlife have resided on the ranch. In this paper, we describe how livestock and wildlife interact at a water point and on pastures on the ranch in terms of biomass density. Such resources shared at different times need to be investigated further as a key factor to improve productivity of livestock–wildlife joint land use.     

Application of a Stated Choice Approach to Assessing Public Preferences for Wildlife Conservation Funding

Limited funds for wildlife conservation require difficult choices about allocation of resources. One consideration is public preferences. While traditional attitudinal approaches can provide information about preferences for conservation efforts aimed at individual species, stated choice models offer a more suitable approach for exploring the complexity of public support across multiple species, through an examination of individuals’ choices in tradeoff situations. Using a survey in the American Southwest, we explored residents’ preferences for allocating funds for species based on factors that describe those species; species status, origin, and use. Species origin (native or non-native) and use (game or non-game) were more important as a whole than species status (declining, common, or extirpated). Further, respondents generally prioritized native (over non-native), game (over non-game), and declining (over common or extirpated). We discuss the implications of these findings for communication efforts aimed at generating public support and conservation decisions with complex tradeoffs.