Human-Wildlife Interaction-A Social Survey.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Wildlife Management
• Social Science

Background:

• Understanding public attitudes towards wildlife is crucial for effective conservation.
• Stakeholder engagement is vital for developing sustainable coexistence strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate public attitudes towards wildlife management.
• To evaluate the relationship between experience, engagement, knowledge, and emotions regarding wildlife.

Main Methods:

• A survey was conducted with 1569 stakeholders.
• Data collected on individual experiences, engagement, attitudes, emotions, and knowledge about wildlife.

Main Results:

• Strong opinions on wildlife management correlate with increased contextual knowledge.
• Greater experience and engagement in wildlife conservation lead to stronger positive emotions.
• A combination of knowledge and positive attitudes enhances awareness of human-wildlife conflicts.

Conclusions:

• Education is essential for responsible wildlife interaction.
• Positive emotions are a primary driver for engagement in wildlife conservation.
• Knowledge and positive attitudes are critical for achieving sustainable human-wildlife coexistence.