Attitudes toward wolves in southeastern Norway

Abstract

In some Norwegian regions conflicts between sheep farmers and wildlife managers have increased considerably in frequency and intensity. In order to gain more insight into the inhabitants’ attitudes toward one carnivore species, opinions about the preferred size of the wolf population, attitudes and knowledge about wolves, and experience with animal‐related activities were surveyed in southeastern Norway. The attitude typology identified by Kellert (1986) was applied. Of the total sample, 14% wanted wolves extirpated in Norway, 37% wanted the present population reduced, 40% wanted it maintained, and 7% wanted it increased. The proportion wanting wolves extirpated or reduced increased as the perceived size of the wolf population increased, age increased, and educational level decreased. The attitude profiles showed that old persons, pensioners, and those with only basic education expressed high dominionistic, high negativistic and high utilitarian, and low naturalistic scores, whereas young persons with higher education showed the reverse pattern.