Tourist opinions on animal culling: a South Australian example

Abstract

Environmental education is commonly used to satisfy the natural curiosity of tourists, increase conservation awareness and strengthen pro-conservation values. Yet it does not always address the more sensitive ecosystem management issues such as animal culling as it may be seen to upset the balance of the positive tourist experience. For this reason, this study compared acceptance and non-acceptance of animal culling from two angles: for tourists either provided or not provided with a brief passage of information regarding why animals may be culled; and tourists' opinions on the culling of native versus non-native animal species. Conducted in the Flinders Ranges of South Australia where conservation and tourism co-exist within a traditional pastoral setting, 789 self-administered questionnaires were analysed. Results highlighted the differences in tourists' acceptance levels for the culling of native and non-native species, as well as the possible influence of environmental information on these acceptance levels.