Alistair Bath

• PhD, University of Calgary
• Professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland

Public support is often instrumental for restoring large mammals to landscapes where they have been extirpated. Effective conservation planning likely often hinges on wildlife managers understanding and reflecting the values and beliefs of their constituencies. Yet, comparative views of wildlife managers and the public or key interest groups are la...

Understanding local perceptions and equity concerns of new protected areas (PAs) is essential in ensuring support for conservation. We investigated local perceptions of a proposed national park (NP) in the Făgăraș Mountains (FM), Romania, to understand how PA perceptions can inform equitable establishment of new PAs. Using mixed methods (56 intervi...

The hunting of harp (Pagophilus groenladicus) and grey (Halichoerus grypus) seal are part of Newfoundland and Labrador's cultural heritage, tradition, and livelihood. Controversies, however, exist around seal hunting and the permanence of the industry, which is infused by the perceived impact of seals to the local fishery and the growing population...

The coming decade will bring new challenges to marine management, governance and conservation. Understanding people’s relationship with this environment is fundamental for guiding scientists and decision makers. This article deconstructs mental ocean imagery and explores how these images relate to one’s marine value orientations, personal norms, em...

In July the HWIWG hosted the webinar "Working with people toward conservation solutions" led by Dr Alistair Bath (Memorial University, Newfoundland, Canada), one of the world leading experts in Human Dimensions of wildlife conservation, focused on conflict resolution in reintroductions. This was followed by a discussion session, also led by Dr Bath...

Understanding hunting motivations across skill levels is useful for addressing the decline in hunting participation in North America and allows managers to target their recruitment and retention strategies to hunters with different skill levels. We used principal component analysis and ANOVA to explore similarities and differences between three sel...

Direct exploitation of resources, climate change, and land pollution drive marine degradation. Influencing these drivers are political, cultural and economic systems, which are guided by people’s values, beliefs, and behaviours. To tackle this conservation challenge and make oceans more sustainable, we need to understand how people think and act in...

Addressing the biodiversity crisis requires renewed collaborative approaches. Large carnivores are ambassador species, and as such they can aid the protection of a wide range of species, including evolutionarily distinct and threatened ones, while being popular for conservation marketing. However, conflicts between carnivores and people present a c...

Addressing the biodiversity crisis requires renewed collaborative approaches. Large carnivores are ambassador species, and as such they can aid the protection of a wide range of species, including evolutionarily distinct and threatened ones, while being popular for conservation marketing. However, conflicts between carnivores and people present a c...

A nonprofit tourism organization, Spirit Way Inc., has been attempting to brand Thompson, Manitoba as the “Wolf Capital of the World” (WCOTW). Success of this initiative, however, requires local support. It was hypothesized that general attitude toward wolves mediates relationships between existence value of wolves and three behavioral intentions,...

Large carnivores are ambassador species, and as such they can aid the protection of a widerange of species, including evolutionarily distinct and threatened ones, while being popular for conservation marketing. However, conflicts between carnivores and people present a considerable challenge to biodiversity conservation. Our cross disciplinary essa...

The increase of illegal all-terrain vehicle (ATV) use on New Brunswick coasts causes concern for the integrity of sandy beaches and dune systems, essential barriers for coastal protection. Using a randomly distributed self-administered questionnaire, we compared three New Brunswick coastal communities concerning resident's: (a) perceptions of impac...

Human‐carnivore coexistence is a multi‐faceted issue that requires an understanding of the diverse attitudes and perspectives of the communities living with large carnivores. To inform initiatives that encourage behaviors in line with conservation goals, we focused on assessing the two components of attitudes (i.e., feelings and beliefs), as well a...

Wood bison (Bison bison athabascae) were reintroduced into Alaska after a 170-year absence in the state. Wildlife reintroductions may cause problems by damaging property, spreading disease, increasing fear levels, and human injury and death. We examined the influence of urban Alaskan’s wildife value orientations (WVO; domination and mutualism), fea...

Context Education programs concerning wildlife conservation and safety typically include the biology of the wildlife species and public safety information. Information retention using traditional means such as signs, pamphlets and static presentations have been shown to be minimally effective at changing attitudes and behaviour when it comes to hum...

Context Wood bison (Bison bison athabascae) have been absent from Alaska for over 170 years. In the spring and summer of 2015, however, 130 animals were reintroduced to the state. These wood bison were restored through a consensus-based planning process, but it remains unknown how the animals will be managed. Aims To survey urban and rural Alaska...

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) frequently fall short of their stated goals as marine conservation tools due to various regulatory, physical, sociocultural, and economic reasons. MPA designation, however, continues to be used for perceived conservation and socioeconomic benefits for adjacent communities. Local beliefs regarding ecological and socio-e...

Human-wildlife interaction is one of the major challenges for managers and conservationists in the current century. Coexistence between humans and wildlife is possible and can be beneficial to both people and wildlife. Conflict, on the other hand, is a major driver of wildlife decline and extinction. Wildlife conservation will only be possible with...

For receiving the full version of the book (or my Chapter) call me over RG mailing or by regular e-mail: a_koval54@ukr.net Thanks for your's interest, Andrey Kovalchuk

Jaguars (Panthera onca) and pumas (Puma concolor) are declining in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest because of anthropogenic threats (e.g., habitat loss, depletion of prey, human persecution). We assessed the influence of local people's factual knowledge about jaguars and pumas on fear of these big cats, attitudes toward big cats, and the acceptabilit...

The relationships between people and wild canids are a widespread concern for the conservation of species and habitats. The maned wolf Chrysocyon brachyurus is a Near Threatened species inhabiting South America. Strategies to conserve this keystone species may benefit the also-declining Cerrado biome. The attitudes of teenagers toward wild carnivor...

We explored the overall acceptability of killing jaguars and pumas in different scenarios of people-big cat interactions, the influence of attitudes toward big cats on acceptability, and the level of consensus on the responses. Data were obtained from 326 self-administered questionnaires in areas adjacent to Intervales State Park and Alto Ribeira S...

Despite legal protection, deliberate killing by local people is one of the major threats to the conservation of lions and other large carnivores in Africa. Addressing this problem poses particular challenges, mainly because it is difficult to uncover illicit behavior. This article examined two groups of Maasai warriors: individuals who have killed...

Interview data analyzed for this study. (XLS)

Jaguars and pumas are threatened species in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, especially at the borders of protected areas. This article assessed the influence of emotions, attitudes, existence value, and agency credibility on acceptability of big cats among rural residents living adjacent to two protected areas in this forest. Data from self-administrated...

An experiential education program was designed to target risk perceptions and preventative measures that make people feel comfortable in human-coyote interactions. The research was conducted in a Canadian national park where a coyote caused a human fatality in 2009. Based on previous research, we explored the effects of an experience-based coyote e...

Action Plan for Brown Bear in Bulgaria for period 2008-2018, accepted by Ministry of Environment and Water - December 2008.

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 influe...

Abstract for presentation at The Wildlife Society conference 2015 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Abstract for presentation at Pathways: Integrating Human Dimensions into Fisheries and Wildlife Management 2016 in Nanyuki, Kenya, Africa

Around the Regional Nature Reserve NazzanoTevere-Farfa in Central Italy, wild boar ecological and economic impacts have increased over the last decade, creating the need for an integrated wildlife management approach. Since 2006, park authorities have used an average of 17 % of the yearly protected area budget for compensation and 5 % for preventiv...

In this article, emotional and cognitive variables were used to explain reactions to human-coyote interactions. Anticipated emotional dispositions were hypothesized to mediate the influence of general attitude and symbolic existence beliefs toward coyotes on acceptability of killing a coyote. Residents around Cape Breton Highlands National Park in...

We explored differences and similarities among local residents, park staff, and visitors in their (a) attitudes toward, (b) fear of, (c) perceived control over, and (d) perceived likelihood of coming into contact with coyotes. Data were collected near Cape Breton Highlands National Park of Canada, where a coyote caused a human fatality in 2009. Loc...

Successful wildlife management often depends on public acceptance of wildlife control methods. We explored the acceptability and amount of consensus among local residents, park staff, and visitors for coyote (Canis latrans) management in Cape Breton Highlands National Park of Canada (NPC). We collected data near Cape Breton Highlands NPC, where the...

Shared values, public trust in an agency, and attitudes can influence support for successful conservation initiatives. To understand these relationships, this paper examines the role of social trust as a partial mediator between salient values similarity and attitudes toward wolves in south-western Alberta, Canada. Rural residents in this area face...

This study examined the underlying factors that influence the attitudes of ATV users toward the recreation environment. Data were collected through a quantitative survey of 600 residents of the Burin Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. Multiple regression analysis was used to assess how the attitudes of ATV users are affected by specific belie...

The purpose of this study was to identify and document the attitudes, perceptions, and resource management preferences of all-terrain vehicle (ATV) users through the recreation specialization framework. Data were collected on the Burin Peninsula on the south coast of the island portion of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Variables were op...

Rural communities are often considered a homogeneous population in resource management. Wolf management is no exception. To understand the diversity of rural attitudes toward wolves and wolf management, data were obtained through a mail questionnaire to rural residents (n = 555; 69% response rate) of southwestern Alberta. Results indicated three di...

The relationships between people and carnivores are a worldwide concern for the conservation of species as well as habitats. The maned wolf is an endangered, endemic canid inhabiting the southeast of Brazil - highly populated and rich in biodiversity and endemism. Strategies to conserve this key stone species may benefit the also declining Cerrado...

-Human-wildlife interactions are becoming more evident worldwide, especially along the boundaries of protected areas. Applying different strategies to manage the impacts of wildlife inside or outside protected areas can lead to human-human and human-wildlife conflicts. Thus, protected areas and their borderlands can be ideal locations to investigat...

While there has been considerable biological and legal work focused on bird conservation, there has been a lack of addressing the same issue from a human perspective. Thus the focus of this report is to present an understanding of existing knowledge about poaching motivations and best ways forward regarding integrating people into bird conservation...

This article examines the combined influence of cognitions (i.e., impact beliefs) and affect (i.e., feelings) on normative beliefs (i.e., support for management options) about wolves and brown bears. Data were obtained from stratified random face-to-face interviews (n = 1,611). The survey was conducted in the Abruzzo Lazio and Molise National Park...

We segmented a sample of the Italian public based on their normative beliefs to support or oppose wolf management options. Based on the specificity principle and the notion of predictive potential, we hypothesized “minimal” differences among the segments for demographic and past experience variables and substantive differences among the segments fo...

Successful public involvement efforts can reduce conflict and build trust between resource managers and the public. Differences of opinion between the public and wildlife managers regarding the importance of various characteristics and methods of public involvement have implications for managers wishing to design effective public involvement proces...

Human dimensions research can help resource and wildlife managers make informed decisions, target information efforts, and gain a greater understanding of the factors that comprise attitudes toward wildlife management efforts. Despite these often-stated merits, studies addressing the human dimensions of resource and wildlife management efforts are...

a b s t r a c t Against a background of an evolving wolf policy process we carried out personal structured interviews with residents of three regions within Croatian wolf range in 1999 (n = 1209) and repeated the study, using the same methodology in 2003 (n = 1172). We documented a change in public support for wolf con-servation and support for con...

Transboundary management of large carnivores, such as that of bears in the human dominated landscapes in Europe is rife with challenges. During summer 2006, brown bear JJ1, one of the 27 cubs born in the Central Alps between 2002 and 2006, as a result of reintroduction efforts carried out in Trentino, Italy, wandered into Austria and Germany. Despi...

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The temporal pattern of cod landings in the inshore trap fishery off the east coast of Newfoundland and Labrador is examined in this study. Unlike previous studies which have been broad scale or of a localized nature, this analysis looks at variations within fishing seasons and among fishing areas in trap landings. A significant relationship betwee...

We examined and compared human attitudes toward wolves (Canis lupus), grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis), and mountain lions (Puma concolor) in North America, with an emphasis on the Rocky Mountains of the United States and Canada. Primary research, literature review, and secondary data were included in the analysis. Wolves were historically p...

We analyzed 3 aspects of the human dimension of large carnivore conservation in Austria. We examined hunter ranking of wildlife species and suggest that while hunters still remain negative to brown bears (Ursus arctos) and lynx (Lynx lynx), there are differences between those who live in provinces with a longer tradition of living with bears and ly...

The natural wealth of Canada enhances the daily lives of 20 million Canadians, according to a major new survey. The 1996 Survey on the Importance of Nature to Canadians (the Nature Survey) also tells us that Canadians commit large amounts of their leisure time to activities that depend on natural areas and wildlife. Canada's natural wealth attracts...

This report describes the findings, results and methodology of the 1996 Survey on the Importance of Nature to Canadians carried out by Statistics Canada on behalf of the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Task Force on the Importance of Nature to Canadians.The 1996 Survey found that the natural wealth of Canada enhances the daily lives of 20 million Ca...

The human dimension in wildlife resource (HDWR) management is increasingly recognized by wildlife managers as an important component to understand and to integrate into daily decision-making. The nature of human dimensions and HDWR research has changed from a traditional emphasis on hunters and big game species to economic issues. To aid bear (Ursi...

Restoration of gray wolves (Canis lupus) to their original range depends not only on a sound ecological basis but also on public acceptance. We samplest 4 special interest groups in New Brunswick about a hypothetical reintroduction to this area. Two white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) hunter groups and 2 naturalist groups were sampled by que...

The theory of reasoned action was examined as a model of attitude and behavior change based on public perceptions of the National Park Service's controlled burn policy. Also, effects of belief-targeted messages on beliefs about outcomes of a controlled burn policy were examined. Positive and negative treatment groups, based on initial attitudes tow...

A proposal to reintroduce the wolf to Yellowstone National Park has captured the attention of the general public and interest groups nationwide. The article examines the results of a study of public attitudes toward the wolf, knowledge of the wolf, and willingness to reintroduce the wolf into Yellowstone National Park. Data were collected from 1026...

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Wyoming, 1987. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [111]-116).

The chance to view wildlife draws millions of visitors each year to the national parks of North America. The combination of a large number of people and abundant wildlife leads to a variety of wildlife-human interactions. In this paper we explore the nature of those wildlife-human interactions, theoretical frameworks social scientists are using to...