A Quantitative Sumary Of Attitudes Toward Wolves And Their Reintroduction
This meta-analysis of 38 studies conducted between 1972 and 2000 shows that 51% of public opinions survey respondents exhibit positive attitudes toward wolves and 60% support wolf restoration. Attitudes appear to be negatively correlated with age, rural residence, and farming/ranching occupations, and positively correlated with education and income.
Among the surveys conducted across samples of the general population, 61% expressed positive attitudes toward wolves and their preservation, compared with 69% among wildlife and environmental groups. An estimated 35% of farmers and ranchers also have positive attitudes. Across all surveys, one quarter of respondents had neutral attitudes toward wolves. Positive attitudes did not appear to increase over time.
Surveys conducted among the lower 48 U.S. states showed more positive attitudes than those conducted in Scandinavia and Western Europe. The people with the most positive attitudes toward wolves were those with the least experience with them.