Introduction. Global anthropogenic processes such as climate change and urbanization drive changes in biodiversity locally by altering habitat connectivity and influencing gene flows between urban and rural species. Moreover, hybridization between wild and tame species may more easily occur as in the case of wolf-dog hybrids (WDH). The Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework states that wildlife species should be managed sustainably to provide social, economic and environmental benefits for people. So far the psychological implications of such "new" species in people's local nature settings are not yet understood.
Purpose. Theoretically, this study departs from frameworks linking biodiversity exposure and experience through pathways of appraisals of harm, restoring and building capacity, to human health and well-being (Marselle, 2021; Johansson et al., 2021) The objective is to explore European university students' emotional appraisals of WDHs and their acceptability of available management options. Data is currently collected by an online questionnaire in Sweden and Spain.
Methods. Students are presented with three different scenarios for the presence of WDH. They are asked to assess their emotions towards WDHs and acceptability with regard to how effective and moral they consider management measures (lethal, captivity and sterilization). Additionally participants' nature experience, connectedness to nature and appraisals of WDH are assessed.
Results. Preliminary analyses based on a first sample of 200 participants suggest that sterilization is considered the most moral measure. Lethal management is assessed as increasingly effective and moral with higher presence. Multiple regression analyses will be used to assess the relative importance of the different pathways in the understanding of emotions and acceptability under different scenarios.
Conclusions. Preliminary the acceptability of WDH-management in Sweden and Spain seems dependent on both the measure chosen and the WDH presence.