Factors affecting attitudes toward reintroduction of wolves in Japan
Factors affecting attitudes toward reintroduction of wolves in Japan
复制标题
影响日本对狼放归态度的因素
DOI：
10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01036
复制
发表时间：
2020
影响因子：
4
通讯作者：
Stedman Richard C.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Sakurai Ryo;Tsunoda Hiroshi;Enari Hiroto;Siemer William F.;Uehara Takuro;Stedman Richard C.
日本狼（Canis lupus hodophilax）在20世纪初灭绝。由于日本正在经历有蹄类动物数量的增长，许多日本和国际研究人员讨论了重新引入狼以促进自我调节生物多样性生态系统的可能性。然而，关于公众对重新引入狼的态度的研究有限，这对此类项目的成功至关重要。我们对日本一所大学的360名本科生进行了调查，发现虽然大多数受访者认为政府官员和当地居民应该对决策负责，但大多数人认为这一责任不应该由普通公民承担。多元回归分析显示，受访者普遍不同意重新引入外来物种，而那些认为狼对健康生态系统是必要的人则表示支持。文本挖掘分析显示，那些不同意放归的人考虑的是“人”，而那些同意放归的人强调需要控制鹿的数量增加，并防止相关的损害。与之前的研究相反，我们的调查显示，影响人们对狼的支持的不是人们对狼的倾向（即他们是喜欢还是讨厌狼），而是他们对重新引入狼的生态影响的理解。总之，我们的研究结果表明，如果人们被告知日本狼和大陆狼是同一物种，它们的存在将对生态系统产生积极影响的科学发现，公众对重新引入狼的态度可能会变得更加有利。
Japanese wolves (Canis lupus hodophilax) became extinct in the early 1900s. Because the country is experiencing growth in populations of ungulates, the potential of reintroducing wolves to promote self-regulating biodiverse ecosystems has been discussed by various Japanese and international researchers. However, limited research exists regarding public attitudes toward the reintroduction of wolves, which is indispensable to the success of such projects. We conducted a survey of 360 undergraduate students at a university in Japan and found that while most respondents believed that government officials and local residents should be responsible for the decision-making, a majority felt that this responsibility should not rest with the general citizens. Multiple regression analysis revealed that respondents disagreed with the reintroduction of exotic species generally, while those who thought wolves are necessary to a healthy ecosystem were supportive. Text mining analysis revealed that those who disagreed with the reintroduction were thinking about “people” while those who agreed emphasized the need to control an increasing deer population and to prevent related damage. In contrast to previous research, our survey revealed that it is not people’s propensity for wolves (i.e., whether they like or hate wolves), but their understanding of the ecological impact of reintroduced wolves, that influences their support. In summary, our findings suggest that public attitudes toward the reintroduction of wolves may become more favorable if people were informed of the scientific findings that Japanese and continental wolves are the same species and that their presence will positively impact the ecosystem.