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Stakeholder knowledge of threatened coastal species; the case of beach-goers and the Hooded Plover Thinornis rubricollis

journal contribution
posted on 2014-12-14, 00:00 authored by G S Maguire, J M Rimmer, Mike WestonMike Weston
One way of measuring pre-existing knowledge of a threatened species and its circumstances is to measure the degree of surprise expressed by stakeholders in relation to factual statements regarding the species. Beach-goers (n = 684) were surveyed in regard to their knowledge of the beach-dwelling, threatened, Hooded Plover Thinornis rubricollis, a coastal obligate in south eastern Australia. Principle components analysis revealed that respondents’ degree of knowledge could be categorized as involving ‘chick (flightless young) ecology’ and ‘human impacts’ (threatening processes). Respondents were more surprised by aspects of chick ecology than by threatening processes (F1,514 = 460.446, p < 0.001). Prior knowledge of the species was associated with less surprise at factual statements. Therefore, priorities for further education should focus on linking threats with chick ecology, particularly because an understanding that chicks are not stationary within fenced areas is critical to the interpretation and effectiveness of current signage used to mitigate human impacts.

History

Journal

Journal of Coastal Conservation

Volume

19

Pagination

73 - 77

Publisher

Springer Verlag

Location

Dordrecht

ISSN

1874-7841

Language

eng

Publication classification

C Journal article; C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2014, Springer Verlag