Risk perceptions of urban wildlife vary by animal functional group, geography, and characteristics of people

Background/Question/Methods

Eighty percent of people in North America live in cities, and they are most likely to encounter wildlife in an urban context. Human-wildlife interactions in urban ecosystems have the potential to foster positive attitudes towards nature, which can lead to broader support for conservation initiatives. But people’s attitudes and actual experiences depend on who they are, where they live, and what they value, all of which affect their exposure to and perceptions of environmental risk. We assessed residents' risk perceptions of common local wildlife across 12 demographically and geographically distinct neighborhoods in metropolitan Phoenix, Arizona. Based on well-documented psychological dispositions towards particular animal traits, we hypothesized that the drivers of risk perceptions will depend more on characteristics of the animals themselves and less on the demographic or attitudinal characteristics of people, or their familiarity and proximity to animal risks.

Results/Conclusions

Residents (n = 489) perceived similar risks of wildlife based on organisms’ functional traits, grouping together iconic desert wildlife; venomous arthropods; and non-venomous arthropods. Risk perceptions of black widows, mosquitoes, and cockroaches (moderate, big, or very big problem at the residents' home) were highest in the lowest income neighborhoods. Only 9% of residents felt that iconic desert wildlife (i.e. coyote, javelina, snakes) were a problem, but risk perceptions of these native animals were highest among well educated, older people who lived closest to the desert and lowest among people who live away from desert parks or held pro-environmental worldviews. Understanding spatial and social patterns in wildlife perceptions can help managers to target conservation initiatives to promote habitat protection and wildlife acceptance, and address community concerns.