The Role of Value Orientations and Experience on Attitudes Toward a Well-Liked Threatened Reptile

Abstract

Eastern box turtles (Terrepene carolina carolina) are often negatively impacted by anthropogenic activities, such as mortality caused by vehicles or agricultural equipment. However, studies investigating human perceptions of a particular species are often directed toward charismatic megafauna or polarizing species, such as wolves. Given the worldwide decline of reptiles and box turtles’ high potential for human-caused mortality, there is a need to investigate the factors affecting public perception of this species. This article investigated respondents’ value orientations, attitudes, beliefs, and behavioral intentions directed at box turtles. Mail surveys were distributed to 1,378 respondents of the Blue River Watershed in southern Indiana. Respondents had generally positive attitudes toward the species. However, both attitudes and behavioral intentions were significantly influenced by respondents’ wildlife value orientations, indicating that wildlife value orientations can serve as a predictor of attitudes even when directed at well-liked, but non-charismatic imperiled species.

Keywords:

• behavioral intentions
• imperiled species
• Terrepene carolina
• wildlife value orientations