Societal attitudes towards hellbender salamander conservation

Abstract

Print and online media may reflect changing perceptions about the conservation of wildlife when viewed in a historical context, especially as the growth of conservation programs bring about increased awareness of declining species. With a proven history of public misunderstanding and persecution, this chapter focuses on an at-risk species, the hellbender salamander (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis). To determine whether traditional and social media can be used to gauge public perceptions about at-risk species and the impacts of media on species conservation, the authors evaluated four data sources related to hellbender salamanders: peer-reviewed scientific research, online searches, content analysis of newspaper articles, and social media. The survey found increased positive perceptions about hellbenders after 1980, which coincides with the Conservation Biology Era. As research and policy dramatically increased over time, positive interest in hellbenders also increased from online searches. In just a single year, social media proved to be a great catalyst of positive information about hellbender conservation. Through the lens of print and online media, whether a peer-reviewed topic or a social media post, conservation of poorly understood species can be bolstered with more attention.