The socioecology of fear: A critical geographical consideration of human-wolf-livestock conflict
Canadian Geographer
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Abstract
Animal fear can be an important driver of ecological community structure: predators affect prey not only through predation, but by inducing changes in behavior and distribution—a phenomenon evocatively called the “ecology of fear.” The return of wolves to the western United States is a notable instance of such dynamics, yet plays out in a complex socio-ecological system where efforts to mitigate impacts on livestock rely on manipulating wolves’ fear of people. Examining Washington state’s efforts to affect wolf behavior to reduce livestock predation, we argue that this approach to coexistence with wolves is predicated on relations of fear: people, livestock, and wolves can arguably share landscapes with minimal conflict, as long as wolves are adequately afraid. We introduce the “socioecology of fear” as an interdisciplinary framework for examining the interwoven social and ecological processes of human-wildlife conflict management. Beyond frequently-voiced ideas about wolves’ “innate” fear, we examine how fear is (re)produced through human-wolf interactions and deeply shaped by human social processes. We contribute to the Critical Physical Geography project by integrating critical social analysis with ecological theory, conducted through collaborative interdisciplinary dialogue. Such integrative practice is essential for understanding the complex challenges of managing wildlife in the Anthropocene.
Suggested Citation
Anderson, R.M., Charnley, S., Epstein, K., Gaynor, K., Martin, J., Mcinturff, M.C., 2022, The socioecology of fear: A critical geographical consideration of human-wolf-livestock conflict: Canadian Geographer, v. 67, no. 1, p. 17-34, https://doi.org/10.1111/cag.12808.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | The socioecology of fear: A critical geographical consideration of human-wolf-livestock conflict |
| Series title | Canadian Geographer |
| DOI | 10.1111/cag.12808 |
| Volume | 67 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Publication Date | September 29, 2022 |
| Year Published | 2022 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Canadian Association of Geographers |
| Contributing office(s) | Coop Res Unit Seattle |
| Description | 18 p. |
| First page | 17 |
| Last page | 34 |
| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |