1. Changing the Tolerance of the Intolerant: Does Large Carnivore Policy Matter?
- Author
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Olson, Erik R. and Goethlich, Jamie
- Subjects
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WILDLIFE management , *HIERARCHICAL clustering (Cluster analysis) , *CLUSTER analysis (Statistics) , *STATE power , *WOLVES , *CARNIVOROUS animals - Abstract
Simple Summary: How people feel about large carnivores can be critical in determining the success of conservation efforts. In some cases, people's attitudes towards large carnivores are more influenced by policies dictating how people can interact with those species rather than the species themselves. Yet, the connections between policy and tolerance of large carnivores remain unclear. To better understand these connections, we surveyed residents of northern Wisconsin, USA, about wolves Canis lupus and wolf policies. We grouped survey respondents based on their general attitudes towards wolves and assessed whether respondents expected their tolerance of wolves to improve under different policy scenarios. Hunters, people with generally negative or ambivalent attitudes towards wolves, and people with wildlife conflict experience were more likely to expect their tolerance to improve under policy scenarios that allowed for the regulated killing of wolves under certain circumstances. However, we also observed important nuances in the relationship between tolerance of wolves and wolf policy. Large carnivore conservationists must balance conservation objectives with the preferences of local people. The fulcrum of this balance may shift over time as local preferences or species status change. Thus, monitoring local policy preferences may be just as important as carnivore population monitoring. Success in large carnivore conservation often hinges on local residents' tolerance towards those species. Feelings of powerlessness and frustration with wildlife policies can lead to intolerance of the species. In extreme cases, intolerance may manifest in poaching. Thus, changes in policy may influence the tolerance of wildlife. To examine the connections between policy and tolerance, we examined how policy scenarios influenced anticipated changes in tolerance to wolves Canis lupus. We administered a survey in 2015–2016 in the core wolf range within northern Wisconsin, USA. Using hierarchical cluster analysis, we clustered respondents into groups based on their current tolerance of wolves. We evaluated the behavioral intentions of the clusters and examined the influence of policy scenarios on respondents' anticipated changes in tolerance. Finally, using an information-theoretic model selection framework, we assessed the effects of tolerance clusters and demographic factors. The respondents were clustered into three clusters relative to their current tolerance towards wolves: positive, ambivalent, and negative. Each cluster exhibited significantly different behavioral intentions and anticipated changes in tolerance for all scenarios. In all scenarios, respondents who already held positive attitudes towards wolves were significantly less likely to report expected changes in tolerance toward wolves following changes in wolf management. However, respondents who held ambivalent or negative attitudes towards wolves were significantly more likely to report expected changes in tolerance towards wolves following changes in wolf management. Regarding a regulated wolf hunting and trapping season, we observed a Simpson's Paradox, wherein, when examined in aggregate, no clear pattern emerged, but when examined at the cluster level, important and intuitive patterns emerged. Our demographic model results suggest that policy changes resulting in greater state management authority over wolves, especially authority to implement certain forms of legal killing of wolves, could result in significant increases in tolerance for individuals who identify as hunters, have lost livestock to a predator, or are currently ambivalent or negative towards wolves. Our work elucidates the nuanced relationship between tolerance of wildlife and wildlife policy and identifies a potential ecological fallacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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