Prehliadanie podľa Autor "Franchini, Marcello"

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    People and bears: Evaluating public attitudes to foster human-carnivore coexistence in Slovakia
    (Associazione Teriologica Italiana : Rím, 2025) Franchini, Marcello; Švajda, Juraj; Uhrín, Marcel; Prokop, Pavol
    The brown bear (herein, bear) Ursus arctos has been exhibiting an increasing population trend in Slovakia. This rise in population has led to human–bear conflicts (HBCs), mainly in the form of livestock predation and agricultural damage. In this study, we provide one of the first assessments of public attitudes toward the presence of bears in Slovakia to suggest management and conservation strategies. From January to March 2022, we randomly distributed 1,000 anonymous electronic questionnaires among people living in areas with either bear presence or absence within Slovakia. Data were subsequently analyzed using Cumulative Link Models. Women, despite showing greater fear of bears than men, were more sensitive to the need for mitigating HBCs. Older and less–educated respondents predominantly exhibited a negative attitude toward the presence of bears compared to younger and more–educated individuals. Respondents living in areas with bear occurrence exhibited lower trust in organizations responsible for bear management, demonstrated more negative attitudes toward bear presence, and were more in favor of lethal control or translocation of problematic individuals. Educational activities that explain the important role carnivores play in maintaining ecosystem functionality, as well as their economic benefits through tourism, should be emphasized to enhance bear acceptance, particularly among individuals residing in areas with permanent bear populations. Furthermore, the engagement of scientists on social media is crucial to prevent negative portrayals of bears, which could influence human attitudes toward their presence. Conservation campaigns should provide guidance on recommended human behaviors (e.g., proper waste disposal) to minimize the attraction of bears to urban areas and strategies for reducing the risk of human–bear encounters in natural settings.