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Animal fear can be an important driver of ecological community structure: predators affect prey not only through predation, but also by inducing changes in behaviour and distribution—a phenomenon evocatively called the "ecology of fear." The return of wolves to the western United States is a notable instance of such dynamics, yet plays out in a complex socioecological system where efforts to mitigate impacts on livestock rely on manipulating wolves' fear of people. Examining Washington state's efforts to affect wolf behaviour to reduce livestock predation, we argue that this approach to coexistence with wolves is predicated on relations of fear: people, livestock, and wolves can arguably share landscapes with minimal conflict, as long as wolves are adequately afraid. We introduce the "socioecology of fear" as an interdisciplinary framework for examining the interwoven social and ecological processes of human‐wildlife conflict management. Beyond frequently voiced ideas about wolves' "innate" fear, we examine how fear is (re)produced through human‐wolf interactions and deeply shaped by human social processes. We contribute to the critical physical geography project by integrating critical social analysis with ecological theory, conducted through collaborative interdisciplinary dialogue. Such integrative practice is essential for understanding the complex challenges of managing wildlife in the Anthropocene. Key Messages: Human‐wolf‐livestock coexistence efforts in Washington rely on sustaining wolves' fear of people, often described as "innate" even as it is reproduced through human‐wolf interactions.Mitigating wolf‐livestock conflict requires managing human social norms, values, and assumptions about wolf behaviour that are interwoven with ecological fear dynamics.Interdisciplinary dialogue between the social and biophysical sciences, inspired by critical physical geography, can enhance the study of socioecological processes, including human‐wildlife conflict dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Populations of large carnivores are recovering in Europe and incur increasing conflict interactions with human activities. According to the agenda-setting theory, the media dissemination of information on these interactions is likely to contribute to shaping public perceptions of large carnivores. We conducted a content analysis of printed media coverage of wolf recovery in France over the period 1993–2014, ever since its natural return to southeast France. To do so, we used a recently developed statistical method – structural topic modeling – that allows to generate topics from large amount of texts and formulate new or assess existing hypotheses. This method formally includes covariates to explain variation in topic prevalence and content in a way that is similar to standard regression analyses. We contrasted content variation between articles in a regional ( Nice-Matin ; N  = 742) and a national ( Le Monde ; N  = 148) newspaper and analyzed time trends in topic prevalence. The most represented topics were mainly related to the management issues regarding wolf recovery. We found that Le Monde represented management issues in a generic manner associated with a perspective centred on carnivore species. In contrast, articles in Nice-Matin were about factual issues and associated with a human-centred viewpoint. This contrasted framing emphasizes the gap in representations of wolf management between citizens who directly interact with the wolf and favor detailed information content, centred on human views, and citizens who do not interact or only indirectly with the wolf who will focus on less detailed news, with a more ecological approach. We suggest that increased communication between local and national stakeholders and institutions could provide the context for a more balanced media content of interactions between carnivore species and human activities. This combination could attenuate the gap between regional and national representations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Range expansion by large carnivores in semi-agricultural landscapes represents a serious challenge for managing human-carnivore conflicts. By focusing on an area of recent re-colonization by wolves in central Italy, where livestock owners lost traditional husbandry practices to cope with wolves, we assessed an ex post and a subsequent insurance-based compensation program implemented from 1999 to 2013. We cross checked official depredation statistics and compensation records from various registries, complementing them with a questionnaire survey of sheep owners. Compared to ex post compensation (1999-2005), under the insurance program (2006-2013) compensation paid annually dropped on average by 81.1 %, mostly reflecting that only 4.6 (±0.7 SD) % of sheep owners stipulated the insurance annually. Officially, only 5.5 % of active sheep owners were annually afflicted by wolf depredation during the insurance scheme, but we estimated this proportion to be as high as 34.3 % accounting for the proportion of affected sheep owners who did not officially claim depredations. Coupled with substantial retaliatory killing (minimum of five wolves killed/year), this large amount of cryptic conflict is a symptom of distrust by livestock owners of past and current conflict mitigation policies, despite more than two decades of compensation. We conclude that compensation may fail to improve tolerance toward carnivores unless it is integrated into participatory processes and that lack of reliable data on depredations and damage mitigation strategies exacerbates the conflict. Being advocates of the evidence-based paradigm in management, scientists share a key responsibility in providing objective data concerning progress of conflict management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study attempted to discern the main likely wolf-human conflict contributing variables in households of Shabestar county's villages. Data were collected through questions in 53 semi-structured interviews in 36 villages across Shabestar in summer 2014. The results suggested that people who have reportedly suffered livestock depredation and who have alternative income sources to livestock are likely to be particularly hostile toward wildlife. With rapid assessment of households using these few key variables, we are able to identify likely conflict hotspots and target conflict resolution efforts in those villages. Based on these results, the most important initial strategies for reducing conflict would be reducing the number of livestock killed by wolf, increasing opportunities to generate income only from livestock holdings rather than alternative income sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-term changes of wolf feeding habits have been recorded in several parts of its European range and were related to the increase of wild ungulate populations. An increased use of wild prey often is linked to a decrease of predation on livestock, and consequently it can reduce wolf–human conflict and make for easier predator conservation. We analysed wolf diet from scats collected from 2007 to 2012 in a 927.3-km2area of the Northern Apennines (Northern Italy) to compare the present diet to that recorded in the late 1980s when the area was colonised by wolves, and to examine short-term changes of wolf feeding habits together with annual and seasonal variations of wild and domestic ungulate selection, possibly related to the increase of wild ungulate abundance. We calculated the availability proportions of wild ungulate species from the presence signs recorded on itineraries and those of livestock species from the data on farms of veterinary services. We identified 17 kinds of prey, pooled into six categories, of which wild ungulates (70%) and livestock (20%) were the most important. During the study period, we observed a reduction in the diet breadth of wolves, to a greater use of wild ungulates, depending on the increase in the availability of wild prey species. Significant seasonal variations were observed in the trophic habits of the wolf, but generally there was a wide use of wild ungulates, especially wild boars. Livestock was mainly used in summer, which corresponds to the period of greatest presence of domestic ungulates on the pastures. Considering the study period, a fast response of wolf feeding habits to the increase of wild ungulate species resulted, together with changes in selection patterns. The change in diet towards a greater use of wild ungulates is an important step in the recovery and conservation of the wolf. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports of the damage from wolf attacks have increased considerably over the last decade in Georgia (in the Caucasus). We interviewed locals about this problem in two focal regions: the Lanchkhuti area (in western Georgia) and Kazbegi District (in eastern Georgia) where livestock numbers had increased by an order of magnitude owing to dramatic shifts in the local economies over the last decade. This coincided with expanding habitats for wolves (abandoned plantations, for example). We found that the perceived damage from wolves was positively correlated with a poor knowledge of wolf habits and inappropriate livestock husbandry practices. Our results suggest a loss of traditional knowledge contributes strongly to the wolf-human conflicts in Georgia. Restoring traditional, simple but good practices-such as protecting herds using shepherd dogs and introducing bulls into the herds-can help one solve this problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. Local residents were mailed a questionnaire (n = 578; 76%) in 2011. Park staff completed the questionnaire (n = 124) in 2011 and visitors were interviewed on trails in 2011 and 2012 (n = 375). The Potential for Conflict Index2(PCI2) was used to examine differences among these groups. Residents held more negative attitudes, reported more fear, felt less in perceived control, and reported a higher perceived likelihood of seeing a coyote than park staff and visitors. Understanding different interest-group attitudes toward coyotes facilitates the design of specialized messages to ensure different stakeholders receive appropriate information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most conservation conflicts have "material cores" in the sense that interests tied to economically motivated landscape transformation are pitted against conservation. These aspects of the conflict resemble issues that are regularly handled within established political and bureaucratic contexts, such as those regulating the interaction between the state and the agricultural sector. Mitigation efforts normally target such conflict issues, which can apparently be addressed by means of economic compensation or incentives. However, many controversies have additional aspects that are fundamental to conflict development. These are rooted in social tensions and processes of social change that may have less to do with conservation per se. Therefore, mitigation efforts that address economic loss may lead to unintended consequences, in that they aggravate other aspects of the conflicts. Norwegian wolf management is a prime example, as conflict mitigation is almost entirely directed at livestock producers--even in areas with little livestock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding how changes in the sizes of large carnivore populations affect the attitudes of the public is vital in order to mitigate social conflicts over large carnivore management issues. Using data from two Swedish postal surveys in 2004 and 2009, we examined the probable social effects of a continued increase in the Swedish populations of bear and wolf by comparing levels of direct experience of bears and wolves with public attitudes towards these animals. We report an increase in direct experience of bears and wolves, lower levels of acceptance of the existence of these animals, and a lower degree of support for the policy goals of both species in 2009 compared to 2004. We also find that these changes are more prominent in areas with local carnivore populations than in other areas of Sweden. Our results imply that attitudes towards bears and wolves are likely to become more negative as populations continue to grow. The uneven distributions of the carnivore populations are likely to generate more frequent social conflicts in the future as they could cause an increase in the attitudinal divide between those members of the Swedish public who have had direct experiences of carnivores and those who have not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research on human fear of large carnivores has mainly been based on self-reports in which individual survey items and the objects of fear are measured, so whether a person fears attacks on humans or livestock and pets has not been identified. The objectives of this study were to differentiate between the objects of fear as well as capturing attitudes towards implementation of management actions and the potential for conflict index (PCI). These concern the implementation of a limited number of management actions currently used or discussed in Sweden that are aimed at reducing human fear of brown bears/wolves. 391 persons living in areas with either brown bear (n = 198) or wolf (n = 193) in Sweden responded to a questionnaire. The degree of self-reported fear varied between residents in brown bear areas and residents in wolf areas. The fear of attacks on livestock and pets was stronger than fear of attacks on humans in both brown bear and wolf areas. In brown bear areas, fear was strongest for livestock, while in wolf areas fear was strongest for pets. The fear of attacks on livestock and pets was significantly stronger in wolf areas, while the fear of attacks on humans was strongest in brown bear areas. In both brown bear and wolf areas, there was little acceptance of implementation of management actions that would allow people to carry pepper spray or a gun outdoors. Management actions aimed at setting a population cap for bear/wolf populations, information on how to act when encountering a bear/wolf, and providing information on local presence of bear/wolf had relatively high acceptability. This was especially true for respondents expressing high fear of attacks on humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent reappearance of wolves in many areas of Europe has stimulated an interest in the past relationships between the species and humans in various different geographical locations and historical epochs. The image of wolves approaching and entering human settlements is a potent image of the wild, ‘natural’ world encroaching on that of the domestic and ‘cultural’. This paper examines the existence of the wolf in the psychological and physical landscape through a micro-historical analysis of a vernacular manuscript from the mid sixteenth century in north-west Italy. The paper demonstrates that the wolf existed both as a ‘mythological beast’ and as a ‘biological animal’ that was a normal, frequently encountered component of the Ligurian faunal assemblage. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Human-carnivore conflict is hampering carnivore conservation worldwide. Conflicts between humans and wolves (Canis lupus) in western Iran, especially Hamedan province (HP), occur in the form of livestock depredation and predatory attacks on people. These conflicts have become a major concern for the lives and livelihoods of the local people as well as an obstacle for conservation of the wolf. To determine the most important predictors of such conflicts and to identify the distribution of areas with potential risk of wolf attack on humans and livestock in HP, we employed Maximum Entropy (Maxent) algorithm to build predictive models with reported conflict data from 2001 to 2010. The resulting models correctly assigned subsequent attack sites from 2011 and 2012 to high-risk areas. We found that variables related to land use/cover types affected by anthropogenic influences on the landscape, such as irrigated farms and human settlements, were the most important in predicting wolf attack risk levels. The risk maps developed in this study are useful tools for identifying conflict hotspots and facilitate policymaking and action planning for conflict mitigation in western Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alleviating human–carnivore conflict is central to large carnivore conservation and is often of economic importance, where people coexist with carnivores. In this article, we report on the patterns of predation and economic losses from wild carnivores preying on livestock in three villages of northern Baima Xueshan Nature Reserve, northwest Yunnan during a 2-year period between January 2010 and December 2011. We analyzed claims from 149 households that 258 head of livestock were predated. Wolves ( Canis lupus) were responsible for 79.1 % of livestock predation; Asiatic black bears ( Selenarctos thibetanus) and dholes ( Cuon alpinus) were the other predators responsible. Predation frequency varied between livestock species. The majority of livestock killed were yak–cattle hybrids or dzo (40.3 %). Wolves killed fewer cattle than expected, and more donkeys and horses than expected. Wolves and bears killed more adult female and fewer adult male livestock than expected. Intensified predation in wet season coincided with livestock being left to graze unattended in alpine meadows far away from villages. On average, carnivore attacks claimed 2.1 % of range stock annually. This predation represented an economic loss of 17 % (SD = 14 %) of the annual household income. Despite this loss and a perceived increase in carnivore conflict, a majority of the herders (66 %) still supported the reserve. This support is primarily due to the benefits from the collection of nontimber resources such as mushrooms and medicinal plants. Our study also suggested that improvement of husbandry techniques and facilities will reduce conflicts and contribute to improved conservation of these threatened predators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Eastern wolves (Canis lycaon) are a species of special concern federally in Canada that have hybridized extensively with coyotes (Canis latrans) and gray wolves (Canis lupus) in and adjacent to Algonquin Provincial Park (APP), Ontario. A comprehensive understanding of eastern wolf demography and wolf-coyote hybridization dynamics is needed for informed management, yet no studies have investigated the influence of genetic ancestry and environmental heterogeneity on survival of wolf, coyote, and hybrid pups. We used telemetry, genetic, and environmental data to model and estimate genotype-specific survival and cause-specific mortality of Canis pups (n =159) in eastern and western APP (2002–2011) and the adjacent Wildlife Management Unit 49 (WMU49; 2008–2011). Pup survival was higher in eastern APP (ŝ =0.75) and WMU49 (ŝ =0.61) than in western APP (ŝ =0.25). In APP, mortality risk of pups was primarily influenced by prey availability as lower beaver density in western APP negatively influenced survival and increased starvation risk. Genetic ancestry only influenced pup mortality risk outside of APP with eastern wolf×coyote hybrids surviving poorly relative to other Canis types in WMU49. Poor survival of pups in western APP reduces dispersal from the protected area and decreases the likelihood of expansion of this genetically distinct eastern wolf population beyond APP. Our results advance understanding of wolf and coyote demography as no previous studies have investigated genetic and environmental factors influencing mortality of wolf and coyote pups <4–5months of age with telemetry data. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In Sweden there has been a vigorous debate concerning management of the wolf (Canis lupus) ever since 1983, when the species was naturally re-established in the country by.long-distance dispersal. The contradictory interests are due to a commitment by Naturvårdsverket, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, to protect the wolf, while at the same time wolves arouse fear and hatred among many members of the public because they attack hunting dogs and kill game and livestock. The wolf is expected to increase in numbers and spread over most of Sweden. We argue that modern wolf management would benefit from a historical perspective and our study draws on data from a time when wolves, livestock and people depending on their herds were far more numerous than today. We also discuss aspects of available wolf food supply and territorial size in the early nineteenth century county of Jönköping, Sweden. This is possible by combining hitherto undetected source material on wolves, with a high geographical resolution, with the insights of modern wildlife research. Our main conclusions are that historic wolf territories were in all probability larger than current territories. This was due to a scarcity of large prey, especially during the winter months when livestock were stabled. Past herding practices seem, to a very large extent, to have kept predation on livestock at nearly negligible levels compared to total livestock numbers. This is a significant finding that should be of interest to those concerned with present day wolf management. We also discuss the potential for the future re-establishment of wolves in the studied area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many cities throughout North America, human-coyote conflicts are an emerging problem. Little research has described temporal and spatial patterns of human-coyote conflicts, although such information can be an important step in developing and optimizing management efforts. We used reports from 22 entities within the Denver Metropolitan Area (DMA) in Colorado that provided information on coyote observations (signs, sightings, and encounters) and conflicts (incidents, pet-attacks, and human-attacks). Our objectives were to 1) define, quantify, and map categories of coyote observations and conflicts, and 2) investigate temporal and spatial patterns of conflicts, particularly related to land cover types and housing density classes. We compiled 4,006 coyote reports, including 78 signs (1.9%), 3,023 sightings (75.5%), 395 encounters (9.9%), 26 incidents (0.6%), 471 pet-attacks (11.8%), and 13 human-attacks (0.3%). We found a strong seasonal pattern with reports of both observations and conflicts highest during December-March and lowest during July-September. Numbers of coyote conflicts were disproportionately greater in open space and development land cover types (in contrast to natural and agricultural land cover) and in suburban housing areas (in contrast to urban, exurban, and rural areas). Hotspots of coyote conflicts were apparent in the southern region of the DMA, possibly because coyotes had better access to development, and hence interaction with residents, via natural areas bordering urban areas; reporting bias may have also influenced this outcome. Our results will help target management efforts, particularly those focused on people (e.g., education), but also highlight the critical need for improved methods of collecting conflict information via a standardized reporting mechanism to help reduce bias. © 2012 The Wildlife Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of lethal control of wildlife is controversial. We examined the acceptability of using lethal control to minimize the impacts of geese and deer on agricultural crops in the Netherlands. Two sets of predictors were examined: wildlife value orientations (WVOs) and demographics. The two wildlife value orientations—domination and mutualism—were based on prior theorizing and research in the United States. Demographic variables included age, gender, education, and current residence. We used data from a mailed survey (n = 353) sent to randomly selected individuals in the Netherlands. We examined six separate logistic regression models. As predicted, only the value orientations were statistically significant, accounting for 39% (geese) and 37% (deer) of the variance. Of the two WVOs, domination was a better predictor of acceptability ratings than mutualism. Results suggest that WVOs have predictive validity outside the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Iberian Peninsula, the coexistence between pastoral communities and wolves has given origin to a rich ethnographic heritage, expressed in myths and legends, practices related to medical uses of wolf parts, and constructions for hunting wolves. This article assesses such cultural dimension through interviews with inhabitants, field prospecting and a literature review. Our review indicates that cultural manifestations related to wolves are associated with two distinct perceptions of this carnivore: as a real threat to livestock and as a symbolic creature. This cultural legacy is still present in the memory and practices of Iberian rural communities and is unparalleled in other European regions. Ethnographic knowledge can enhance our understanding of the perceptions of local people towards the wolf and help to promote the recreational and utilitarian value of this species as an important element in rural culture and tradition. Such an approach can be crucial in attenuating wolf–human conflict in humanized areas and consequently should be incorporated in wolf conservation and management programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the Tibetan Wolf (Canis lupus chanko) sightings in the Greater Himalayan range of Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve (BS) in Uttarakhand, India. It states that the first record of Tibetan Wolf sighting was in a deserted tourist hut in Bedini in late November 2005 and in May 2006, a livestock herder reported a livestock killed by a wolf in Bedini-Ali. The authors hypothesize that Tibetan Wolf probably move from the Trans-Himalayan to the Greater Himalayan parts of Nanda Devi BS.

While migration is hypothesized to reduce predation risk for ungulates, there have been few direct empirical tests of this hypothesis. Furthermore, few studies examined multiscale predation risk avoidance by migrant ungulates, yet recent research reveals that predator–prey interactions occur at multiple scales. We test the predation risk reduction hypothesis at two spatial scales in a partially migratory elk ( Cervus elaphus) population by comparing exposure of migrant and resident elk to wolf ( Canis lupus) predation risk. We used GPS and VHF telemetry data collected from 67 migrant and 44 resident elk over the summers of 2002–2004 in and adjacent to Banff National Park (BNP), Canada. We used wolf GPS and VHF telemetry data to estimate predation risk as a function of the relative probability of wolf occurrence weighted by a spatial density model that adjusted for varying pack sizes. We validated the predation risk model using independent data on wolf-killed elk, and showed that combining wolf presence and spatial density best predicted where an elk was likely to be killed. Predation risk on summer ranges of migrant elk was reduced by 70% compared to within resident elk summer ranges. Because wolves avoided areas near high human activity, however, fine-scale selection by resident elk for areas near high human activity reduced their predation risk exposure to only 15% higher than migrants, a difference significant in only one of three summers. Finally, during actual migration, elk were exposed to 1.7 times more predation risk than residents, even though migration was rapid. Our results support the hypothesis that large-scale migrations can reduce predation. However, we also show that where small-scale spatial variation in predation risk exists, nonmigratory elk may equally reduce predation risk as effectively as migrants under some circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the use of radio telemetry and related technologies in tracking wolves as part of a student inquiry project at a U.S. university. A map of the Superior National Forest was purchased from the International Wolf Center in Minnesota. The guiding question leads to the collection of empirical data that can inform an explanation developed to answer the question. The research question formed centered on the impact of the death of a wolf pack member by a human on the traveling pattern of the pack.

On 26 April 2000 a six-year-old boy was attacked and repeatedly bitten by a Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) in a logging camp near Icy Bay, Alaska. The animal's behavior during the attack clearly contained elements of predation. The wolf was killed shortly after the attack and found to be in normal physical condition; tests for rabies and canine distemper were negative. Low densities of ungulate prey and increased energetic demands associated with denning may have influenced the wolf's behavior, but we believe the wolf's habituation to people was a more significant factor contributing to the attack. Food-conditioning may have facilitated the habituation process, but there was no evidence the attack resulted from a food-conditioned approach response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approximately at the turn of the nineteenth century, the visual encounter between humans and birds, which has been going on since both forms of life have existed, began to solidify into a hobby, into something that a middle-class citizen of American might spend a morning doing. Certain technologies—optics (binoculars), field guides, and later, automobiles—helped to enable this pursuit. In the twentieth century, bird watching became an immense industry. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, one report claims that in America "an estimated 70.4 million people now go out-of-doors to watch birds one or more times per year" (Cordell & Herbert, 2003, p. 3). Much has been written on how and why bird watching has grown in popularity during the last 150 years or so. 2 This essay will look instead at the effects produced by the nearly infinite acts of looking inherent to a hobby that has been described as one of "Americans' most-favored [outdoor] activities" (Cordell & Herbert, p. 3) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on research into the domestication of dogs and what led wolves to become domesticated. It comments on the theory that wolves domesticated themselves with wolves that were bold enough to eat discarded carcasses near human campsites breeding to produce more human-friendly animals until they evolved into dogs. It mentions animal behaviorist Takefumi Kikusui and colleagues found both dogs and humans experience a rise on oxytocin when they gaze into each other's eyes.