Abstract
Encounters between humans and wildlife that result in human fatalities can generate public anxiety and increase pressure on conservation managers and governments for risk mitigation. Low probability-high consequence events such as shark bites on humans attract substantial media attention for short time periods, but how the media react when several of these rare but fatal events occur in quick succession has seldom been subject to quantitative analysis. Understanding media portrayal of such encounters is important because it both reflects and influences public perceptions of risks, mitigation measures, and conservation policies. This study examined media portrayals of sharks between 2011 and 2013 in the state of Western Australia during which six shark bites resulting in fatalities occurred. We analysed 361 shark-related articles published in major Western Australian newspapers over 26 months to trace changes in media reporting about sharks prior to, during, and after the six fatalities. The findings indicate that when rare, but fatal human-wildlife events occur in quick succession, negative framing by media of wildlife behaviour and threats can exaggerate public anxiety about the pervasive presence of wildlife predators and high risk of human fatalities. The study highlights the need for government agencies and conservation scientists to better engage with media to provide accurate and effective information and advice to swimmers and surfers about shark ecology and behaviour.
Highlights
Human-wildlife encounters are intractable and complex issues faced by conservation biologists and natural resource managers (Dickman 2010; Crossley et al 2014)
Our analysis focuses on shark-related articles published in major Western Australian newspapers to trace changes in media reporting about sharks prior to, during, and after, the six shark bites that resulted in fatalities
This study investigated the changing portrayal of sharks and shark-bite mitigation measures between 2011 and 2013 covered by a range of newspapers circulating in Western Australia
Summary
Human-wildlife encounters are intractable and complex issues faced by conservation biologists and natural resource managers (Dickman 2010; Crossley et al 2014). When wildlife species pose a direct risk to humans, social acceptance and public perception of risk can make conservation management extremely difficult (Dickman 2010; Jacobson et al 2012). Many wild animals such as lions (Panthera leo), jellyfish (Carukia barnesi), and crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) are potentially dangerous to humans, but few marine species are feared more than sharks, which have captivated human imagination through common portrayal as ‘man-eaters’ (Muter et al 2013; Neves and Monteiro 2014). Shark bite events are rare, they can result in
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