Using applied social science disciplines to implement creative outdoor cat management solutions and avoid the trap of one-size-fits-all policies.

In the United States, policy conflicts have prevented successful population-level management of outdoor cats for decades. Wildlife conservation professionals have sought widespread use of humane dispatch (i.e., lethal culling applied humanely), whereas cat welfare professionals have promoted trap-neuter-return (TNR) (cats are trapped, neutered, and returned to the outdoors). These conflicts represent a policy panacea trap, which we argue drives many conservation conflicts. In these situations, the focus on defending a one-size-fits-all policy fails to account for the value differences that shape the different understandings of the problem and desired outcomes associated with each policy, as well as complexities in the social-ecological system. Over the past 5 years, a group of wildlife conservation and cat welfare professionals codeveloped a set of products that have started to be used to help organizations break out of the policy panacea trap. We used a case study to illustrate how efforts grounded in applied social science disciplines, such as science communication, social-ecological systems, and conservation marketing, can help identify a more robust set of policy options tailored to local management and cultural contexts for successful implementation. Shifting the focus to embrace a shared understanding of the broader system helped us identify areas for collaboration, broaden the policy toolbox, and allow space for policy tools originally framed as opposing panaceas. This work helped prepare all parties to have difficult but productive discussions and address shared policy needs. We suggest that many value-based conservation conflicts would benefit from similar efforts that use applied social science to transform how conflict is addressed, moving beyond policy panaceas that end in stalemate to develop shared understandings of context-specific policies, and to identify opportunities for creative cooperation that yield real conservation progress.

Uso de las disciplinas aplicadas de las ciencias sociales para implementar soluciones creativas de manejo de gatos callejeros y evitar la trampa de las políticas universales Resumen Durante décadas, los conflictos entre políticas han evitado un manejo exitoso a nivel poblacional de los gatos callejeros en los Estados Unidos. Los profesionales de la conservación silvestre han buscado el uso extenso de los sacrificios con humanidad, mientras que los profesionales del bienestar felino han promovido la captura­esterilización­liberación (CEL) de los gatos. Estos conflictos representan una trampa panacea de políticas, la cual argumentamos causa muchos conflictos de conservación. En estas situaciones, el enfoque en defender una política universal no logra considerar la diferencia de valores que forman los diferentes entendimientos del problema y los resultados deseados que se asocian con cada política, así como las complejidades dentro del sistema socio­ecológico. A lo largo de los últimos cinco años, un grupo de profesionales de la conservación silvestre y del bienestar felino desarrollaron en conjunto una serie de productos que han comenzado a ayudar a las organizaciones a salir de la trampa panacea de políticas. Usamos un estudio de caso para ilustrar cómo los esfuerzos cimentados en las disciplinas aplicadas de las ciencias sociales (p. ej.: las ciencias de la comunicación, los sistemas socio­ecológicos y el marketing de la conservación) pueden ayudar a identificar un conjunto más sólido de opciones de políticas personalizadas para el manejo local y los contextos culturales para tener una implementación exitosa. El cambio de enfoque para aceptar el entendimiento compartido del sistema más amplio nos ayudó a identificar áreas de colaboración, a ampliar las herramientas para las políticas y a permitirle espacio a las herramientas formuladas originalmente como panaceas contrarias. Este trabajo ayudó a que todas las partes se prepararan para tener discusiones difíciles pero productivas y para abordar las necesidades compartidas de las políticas. Sugerimos que muchos conflictos de conservación basados en los valores se beneficiarían de un esfuerzo similar que use las ciencias sociales aplicadas para transformar cómo se aborda el conflicto, llegando más allá de las panaceas de políticas que terminan en un punto muerto para el desarrollo del entendimiento compartido de políticas específicas al contexto, y para identificar las oportunidades de cooperación creativa que producen un progreso real de la conservación.

Review of adaptations of U.S. Commercial Fisheries in response to the COVID-19 pandemic using the Resist-Accept-Direct (RAD) framework.

The COVID-19 pandemic transformed social and economic systems globally, including fisheries systems. Decreases in seafood demand, supply chain disruptions, and public safety regulations required numerous adaptations to maintain the livelihoods and social resilience of fishing communities. Surveys, interviews, and focus groups were undertaken to assess impacts from and adaptive responses to the pandemic in commercial fisheries in five U.S. regions: the Northeast, California, Alaska, the U.S. Caribbean, and the Pacific Islands. Fishery adaptation strategies were categorized using the Resist-Accept-Direct (RAD) framework, a novel application to understand social transformation in a social-ecological system in response to a disturbance. A number of innovations emerged, or were facilitated, that could improve the fisheries' resilience to future disruptions. Fishers with diversified options and strategic flexibility generally fared better, i.e., had fewer disruptions to their livelihoods. Using the RAD framework to identify adaptation strategies from fishery system actors highlights opportunities for improving resilience of fisheries social-ecological systems to future stressors.

Understanding conflicting cultural models of outdoor cats to overcome conservation impasse.

Many conservation conflicts are scientifically complex yet are rooted in value conflicts, which result in an impasse. Additional biological information alone is insufficient to resolve this type of conflict. Conceptual models that articulate the material aspects of a system are increasingly used to identify areas where parties disagree. Yet, modeling processes typically follow the conveners' rules for discussing and assessing the topic, which can exacerbate conflict. Researchers have identified a need for processes that require participants to reflect on the limits of their own philosophical assumptions and acknowledge other perspectives. Cultural models are a promising tool for this purpose because they include nonmaterial beliefs, morals, and values that guide people's understanding of how to interact with an issue, sometimes subconsciously. We explored how cultural models used with conceptual models can improve understanding of value conflicts and used outdoor cat management as a case study. We conducted interviews and focus group discussions with wildlife conservation and cat welfare professionals involved in outdoor cat policy discussions in Hawaii and Washington, D.C. From these conversations, we developed a conceptual model of the outdoor cat management system and cultural models that led stakeholders to weigh elements of the conceptual model differently. Although wildlife conservation professionals generally spoke about outdoor cats as invasive species, cat welfare professionals spoke about them as homeless pets. These conflicting conceptualizations of what an outdoor cat is may help explain the root of many long-standing disagreements. Examining how and when stakeholders invoke different cultural models allowed us to identify management actions that work with, rather than challenge, those models. Dialogue that embraces conflicting cultural models can be difficult and uncomfortable, but has great potential to overcome conservation impasse and achieve lasting conservation results.

Comprensión de Modelos Culturales Opuestos de Gatos en Exteriores para Sobrepasar el Callejón sin Salida en la Conservación Resumen Muchos conflictos de conservación son científicamente complejos pero cimentados en los conflictos de valores, lo que puede resultar en un callejón sin salida. La pura información biológica adicional no es suficiente para resolver este tipo de conflictos. Cada vez se usan más los modelos conceptuales que articulan los aspectos materiales de un sistema para identificar las áreas en que las partes se encuentran en desacuerdo. Sin embargo, los procesos del modelado típicamente siguen las reglas de los convocantes para discutir y evaluar el tema, lo que puede agravar un conflicto. Los investigadores han identificado una necesidad por contar con procesos que requieran que los participantes reflexionen sobre los límites de sus propias suposiciones filosóficas y que reconozcan otras perspectivas. Los modelos culturales son una herramienta prometedora para este propósito ya que incluyen las creencias no materiales, la moral y los valores que guían el entendimiento de las personas sobre cómo interactuar con un asunto, a veces de forma subconsciente. Exploramos cómo los modelos culturales usados junto con los modelos conceptuales pueden mejorar el entendimiento de los conflictos de valores y usamos el manejo de gatos en exteriores como estudio de caso. Realizamos entrevistas y discusiones en grupos de sondeo con profesionales de la conservación de fauna y del bienestar de los gatos involucrados en las discusiones de las políticas sobre gatos en exteriores en Hawái y Washington, D.C. A partir de estas conversaciones, desarrollamos un modelo conceptual del sistema de manejo de gatos en exteriores. También desarrollamos modelos culturales que llevaron a los actores a sopesar de forma distinta los elementos del modelo conceptual. Mientras que los profesionales de la conservación de fauna se refirieron a los gatos en general como una especie invasora, los profesionales del bienestar de los gatos los mencionaron como mascotas abandonadas o sin hogar. Estos conceptos opuestos de lo que es un gato en exteriores puede ayudar a explicar la raíz de muchos conflictos duraderos. La examinación de cómo y cuándo los actores invocan modelos culturales diferentes nos permitió identificar las acciones de manejo que funcionan con esos modelos en lugar de retarlos. El diálogo que acepta los modelos culturales opuestos puede ser complicado e incómodo, pero tiene un gran potencial para sobrepasar las conversaciones sin salida y lograr resultados de conservación de larga duración.

Risk-enhancing behaviors associated with human injuries from bison encounters at Yellowstone National Park, 2000-2015.

Yellowstone National Park is home to the largest bison population on public land in the United States. Although Yellowstone regulations require visitors to remain at least 23 m from bison, since 1980, bison have injured more visitors to Yellowstone than any other animal. We examined a series of bison-related injuries at Yellowstone to evaluate the circumstances of these injuries and to identify common risk-enhancing behaviors that lead to injury. To do this, we analyzed narrative case incident records from law enforcement regarding bison-human encounters in Yellowstone during 2000-2015. Data regarding demographics, preencounter activities, number of persons involved, type of injury, and acknowledgement of appropriate viewing distance were extracted from the records. Bison encounters resulted in injury to 25 persons (21 visitors and 4 employees). Age range for injured persons was 7-68 years (median: 49 years), and 13 were female. All injuries occurred in areas of high visitor concentration. Mean visitor distance from bison before injury was 3.4 m (range: 0.3-6.1 m). Twenty persons (80%) actively approached bison before their injuries; 5 (20%) failed to retreat when bison approached. Fifteen persons (60%) were injured when in a group of ≥3 persons approaching bison. Twelve persons (48%) sustained injuries while photographing bison. Six persons (24%) acknowledged they were too close to bison. Education alone might not be sufficient to reduce bison-related injuries. Effective injury prevention campaigns for national parks require an understanding of the behaviors and motivations of persons who approach bison. Including behavioral science and behavior change techniques in bison injury prevention campaigns might reduce injuries at Yellowstone.

Notes from the Field: Injuries Associated with Bison Encounters - Yellowstone National Park, 2015.

Since 1980, bison have injured more pedestrian visitors to Yellowstone National Park (Yellowstone) than any other animal (1). After the occurrence of 33 bison-related injuries during 1983-1985 (range = 10-13/year), the park implemented successful outreach campaigns (1) to reduce the average number of injuries to 0.8/year (range = 0-2/year) during 2010-2014 (unpublished data, National Park Service, September 2015). During May-July 2015, five injuries associated with bison encounters occurred (Table). Case reports were reviewed to evaluate circumstances surrounding these injuries to inform prevention.

Understanding risk perceptions to enhance communication about human-wildlife interactions and the impacts of zoonotic disease.

Inclusion of wildlife in the concept of One Health is important for two primary reasons: (1) the physical health of humans, domesticated animals, and wildlife is linked inextricably through shared diseases, and (2) humans' emotional well-being can be affected by their perceptions of animal health. Although an explicit premise of the One Health Initiative is that healthy wildlife contribute to human health, and vice versa, the initiative also suggests implicitly that wildlife may pose threats to human health through zoonotic disease transmission. As people learn more about One Health, an important question surfaces: How will they react to communications carrying the message that human health and wildlife health are linked? In the absence of adequate relevant research data, we recommend caution in the production and dissemination of One Health messages because of possible unintended or collateral effects. Understanding how and why individuals perceive risks related to wildlife diseases is essential for determining message content that promotes public support for healthy wildlife populations, on the one hand, and, on the other, for identifying messages that might inadvertently increase concern about human health effects of diseased wildlife. To that end, we review risk perception research and summarize the few empirical studies that exist on perceived risk associated with zoonoses. We conclude with some research questions that need answering to help One Health practitioners better understand how the public will interpret their messages and thus how to communicate positively and without negative collateral consequences for wildlife conservation.

Automatic classification and speaker identification of African elephant (Loxodonta africana) vocalizations.

A hidden Markov model (HMM) system is presented for automatically classifying African elephant vocalizations. The development of the system is motivated by successful models from human speech analysis and recognition. Classification features include frequency-shifted Mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCCs) and log energy, spectrally motivated features which are commonly used in human speech processing. Experiments, including vocalization type classification and speaker identification, are performed on vocalizations collected from captive elephants in a naturalistic environment. The system classified vocalizations with accuracies of 94.3% and 82.5% for type classification and speaker identification classification experiments, respectively. Classification accuracy, statistical significance tests on the model parameters, and qualitative analysis support the effectiveness and robustness of this approach for vocalization analysis in nonhuman species.