# Perspectives on wolves after their recolonization in Flanders, Belgium

## TL;DR

The study explores public attitudes toward wolves in Flanders, Belgium, and finds that attitudes toward hunting strongly influence perspectives on wolves.

## Contribution

The paper identifies attitudes toward hunting as a key factor influencing perspectives on wolves, offering a new proxy for understanding stakeholder views.

## Key findings

- Hunters generally have negative perspectives on wolves, but those with negative attitudes toward hunting show more positive views.
- Non-hunters with positive attitudes toward hunting tend to have more negative perspectives on wolves.
- Attitudes toward hunting are the strongest explanatory variable for public perspectives on wolves.

## Abstract

At the time of the wolf’s (Canis lupus) recolonization in Flanders, public perspectives on this species were not well understood. To address this gap, we conducted a survey gathering demographic and contextual data to explore the relationship between these factors and public perspectives on wolves. We defined perspectives as: attitudes towards wolves, perceptions as whether they belong in Belgium, their mode of arrival, and attitudes towards wolf-related conflicts. Using redundancy analysis, we identified key explanatory variables, including hunting, residency, education, age, gender and dog ownership. Although these factors were significantly associated with perspectives on wolves, their explanatory power was limited, except for being a hunter. Notably, hunters generally had negative perspectives on wolves; however, hunters who stated they had negative attitudes towards hunting showed more positive perspectives on wolves. Conversely, non-hunters with positive attitudes towards hunting showed more negative perspectives. Attitudes towards hunting emerged as the strongest explanatory variable and may serve as a useful proxy for researchers studying wolf perspectives. Recognizing the diversity of stakeholder perspectives, particularly attitudes towards hunting, and underlying ethics could enhance the effectiveness of wolf conservation management.