Abundant and healthy wildlife populations are a cultural and ecological treasure in the United States.
Abundant and healthy wildlife populations are a cultural and ecological treasure in the United States. Over time, however, the decisions about how agencies manage wildlife have become highly contested: How should managers handle human-wildlife conflict, endangered species restoration and predator control?
A new 50-state study on America’s Wildlife Values — the largest and first of its kind — led by researchers at Colorado State University and The Ohio State University describes individuals’ values toward wildlife across states.
Researchers found large declines over time in several states for the group of people defined as traditionalists, or those who believe animals should be used for purposes that benefit humans, like hunting and medical research.
Mutualists, on the other hand, believe that animals deserve the same rights as humans. They view animals as companions and part of their social networks, and project human traits onto animals.
Read more at Colorado State University
Image: 'What's surprising is that the decline in traditionalists in some states is happening at a really rapid pace,' said Michael Manfredo, one of the study's lead investigators and head of the Department of Human Dimensions of Natural Resources at CSU. (Credit: John Eisele/CSU Photography)
