This book discusses the findings of research on the human dimensions of wildlife management conducted in Japan, demonstrating how such research and approaches have contributed to mitigating human-wildlife conflicts. Human-wildlife conflicts, including agricultural and property damage as well as occasional casualties, are a global problem for which local residents, managers, and stakeholders around the world are struggling to find solutions. Human dimensions of wildlife management (HDW) is an academic field developed in North America in the 1970s to gather information on the social aspects of human-wildlife issues to help wildlife managers and stakeholders implement effective decision-making measures. However, HDW is not widely recognized or applied outside North America, and few studies have investigated whether HDW approaches would be effective in different cultural settings.This is the first book written in English to introduce the HDW theories and practices implemented in Asia. Presenting innovative approaches and research techniques, as well as tips on how to introduce HDW methods into culturally different societies, it is a valuable resource not only for researchers and students in this field, but also for government officials/managers, NGOs, residents and other stakeholders who are affected by human-wildlife conflicts around the globe.

Autorentext
Ryo Sakurai is an associate professor at the College of Policy Science, Ritsumeikan University, Osaka, Japan. He graduated with a Bachelor of Law degree from Keio University, Tokyo, Japan, and completed his MS and PhD degrees at the School of Natural Resources and Environment with the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation at the University of Florida. He won the Academic Award of the Japanese Association on the Environmental Studies for his contribution to establish the discipline of Human Dimensions in Japan. He is currently a co-editor of Environmental Education in Asia, a special issue of the Japanese Journal of Environmental Education. His research interests are human dimensions of wildlife management and coastal management, evaluations of environmental education programs, human-wildlife issues, and social psychology.

Inhalt
Introduction: New Perspectives of Wildlife Management Chapter 1: What is Human Dimensions?

1.1 Human dimensions of wildlife management in North America 1.2 Human dimensions of wildlife management outside of North America

1.3 Situation regarding human dimensions in Asia

Chapter 2: Introducing Ideas and Approaches of Human Dimensions to Asia

2.1 What to consider?

2.1.1 Taking cultural and social background into account

2.2 How human dimensions could contribute to solving human-wildlife conflicts? 2.2.1 Some useful tools; Potential for Conflict Index and Wildlife Acceptance Capacity

Chapter 3: Historical Management of Wildlife in Japan

Chapter 4: Human Dimensions of Black Bear Management in Japan

4.1 Media analysis on human-bear conflicts

4.2 Perception of local residents regarding bears 4.3 Implementation and evaluation of community education seminar

Chapter 5: Programs for Reducing Human-wildlife Conflicts in Japan

5.1 Effectiveness of participatory wildlife management program

5.2 Applying social psychological theories to understand and encourage residents' behavioral intentions regarding wildlife issues

5.3. Potential of citizen science project for collaborative wildlife management

Chapter 6: Educating human dimensions of wildlife management

Chapter 7: Potential of Human Dimensions; from Asia to the world/ from wildlife management to natural resources management

Conclusion