Black Americans' Attitudes toward Wildlife

Abstract

Very little is known about black Americans' attitudes towards wildlife. An extensive literature search found only two empirical studies on this subject. Taken together these studies conclude that blacks' interest in and knowledge about wildlife is limited and much less than that expressed by whites. Given the nature of these studies, and the fact that there are only two, this conclusion is certainly open to question. Even if one were convinced that this conclusion is correct, the available data offer no solid indication as to which factor or combination of factors makes it so. Thus, more research is needed before black attitudes towards wildlife and the reasons for those attitudes can be qualified. In the hopes of setting the context for such research, this paper (1) reviews the pertinent literature; (2) describes various theories on why blacks might have little interest in wildlife; (3) discusses why it is important to understand black attitudes towards wildlife; and (4) considers the need for more research on the subject.