Attitudes toward large carnivores among sheep farmers, wildlife managers, and research biologists in Norway

Abstract

The intensity of the carnivore versus livestock conflicts in Norway is increasing. This study compares the attitudes toward large carnivores (bear, wolf, lynx, and wolverine) among Norwegian sheep farmers, wildlife managers, and research biologists, using Kellert's (1991) attitude typology. Wildlife managers and research biologists endorsed ecologistic and naturalistic attitudes, and had low scores on the dominionistic, negativistic, and utilitarian attitudes. Researchers had higher scores than managers on the moralistic attitudes. Sheep farmers expressed the opposite attitude profile through high dominionistic, negativistic, and utilitarian, and low ecologistic, moralistic, and naturalistic attitudes. In a multiple regression analysis age, gender, education, occupation, and residency during childhood were associated with attitudes toward carnivores.