Informational Signage Increases Awareness of a Rattlesnake in a Canadian Urban Park System

IF 0.9 4区环境科学与生态学 Q4 BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION

Human–Wildlife Interactions Pub Date : 2021-01-01 DOI:10.26077/9E24-0DC5

Jonathan D Choquette, Alexis Hand

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引用次数: 2

Abstract

Human–snake conflict results in negative outcomes for people and snakes, and if left unmanaged, could undermine conservation efforts. One approach to managing conflict between people and snakes is to use signage to inform members of the public on the presence of venomous snakes and measures to prevent snakebites. To be an effective tool, however, signs must first be noticed, then read and understood by the target audience. As part of conservation efforts targeting eastern massasauga rattlesnakes (Sistrurus catenatus) in southwestern Ontario, Canada, we tested the effectiveness of signage at increasing awareness of its presence, status and threats, and snakebite prevention. We installed 6 informational signs at trailheads in a park occupied by massasaugas and conducted a random questionnaire survey of visitors during a 3-week period before (n = 51) and after (n = 54) sign installation. Awareness of the presence of massasauga habitat increased significantly after sign installation, whereas awareness of status, threats, and snakebite prevention methods did not change. Our results suggest that informational signs were effective, to some degree, at shortterm information sharing with recreationists in the context of venomous snake conservation. This cost-effective approach warrants consideration as part of an overall strategy to mitigate human–snake conflict.

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加拿大城市公园系统中的信息标牌提高了人们对响尾蛇的认识

人蛇冲突会给人和蛇带来负面影响，如果不加以管理，可能会破坏保护工作。管理人蛇冲突的一种方法是使用指示牌告知公众毒蛇的存在以及防止蛇咬伤的措施。然而，要想成为一种有效的工具，标识首先必须被注意到，然后才能被目标受众阅读和理解。作为加拿大安大略省西南部东部马萨索加响尾蛇(Sistrurus catenatus)保护工作的一部分，我们测试了标牌在提高人们对其存在、状态和威胁的认识以及预防蛇咬伤方面的有效性。我们在一个马萨索加人占据的公园的小径入口处安装了6个信息标志，并在安装标志之前(n = 51)和之后(n = 54)的3周时间内对游客进行了随机问卷调查。在安装标志后，人们对马萨索加栖息地存在的认识显著增加，而对状态、威胁和预防蛇咬伤方法的认识没有改变。我们的研究结果表明，信息标志在某种程度上是有效的，在毒蛇保护的背景下，在短期内与游憩者分享信息。这种具有成本效益的方法值得作为减轻人蛇冲突总体战略的一部分加以考虑。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Human–Wildlife Interactions Environmental Science-Nature and Landscape Conservation

CiteScore

2.80

自引率

0.00%

发文量

审稿时长

11 weeks

期刊介绍： Human–Wildlife Interactions (HWI) serves the professional needs of the wildlife biologist and manager in the arena of human–wildlife conflicts/interactions, wildlife damage management, and contemporary wildlife management. The intent of HWI is to publish original contributions on all aspects of contemporary wildlife management and human–wildlife interactions with an emphasis on scientific research and management case studies that identify and report innovative conservation strategies, technologies, tools, and partnerships that can enhance human–wildlife interactions by mitigating human–wildlife conflicts through direct and indirect management of wildlife and increased stakeholder engagement. Our intent is to promote a dialogue among wildlife professionals concerning contemporary management issues. As such, we hope to provide a repository for wildlife management science and case studies that document and share manager experiences and lessons learned.