Investigation of the social framing of human-shark interactions may provide useful strategies for integrating social, biological, and ecological knowledge into national and international policy discussions about shark conservation. One way to investigate social opinion and forces related to sharks and their conservation is through the media's coverage of sharks. We conducted a content analysis of 300 shark-related articles published in 20 major Australian and U.S. newspapers from 2000 to 2010. Shark attacks were the emphasis of over half the articles analyzed, and shark conservation was the primary topic of 11% of articles. Significantly more Australian articles than U.S. articles treated shark attacks (χ(2) = 3.862; Australian 58% vs. U.S. 47%) and shark conservation issues (χ(2) = 6.856; Australian 15% vs. U.S. 11%) as the primary article topic and used politicians as the primary risk messenger (i.e., primary person or authority sourced in the article) (χ(2) = 7.493; Australian 8% vs. U.S. 1%). However, significantly more U.S. articles than Australian articles discussed sharks as entertainment (e.g., subjects in movies, books, and television; χ(2) = 15.130; U.S. 6% vs. Australian 1%) and used scientists as the primary risk messenger (χ(2) = 5.333; U.S. 25% vs. Australian 15%). Despite evidence that many shark species are at risk of extinction, we found that most media coverage emphasized the risks sharks pose to people. To the extent that media reflects social opinion, our results highlight problems for shark conservation. We suggest that conservation professionals purposefully and frequently engage with the media to highlight the rarity of shark attacks, discuss preventative measures water users can take to reduce their vulnerability to shark encounters, and discuss conservation issues related to local and threatened species of sharks. When integrated with biological and ecological data, social-science data may help generate a more comprehensive perspective and inform conservation practice.

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An important requisite for improving risk communication practice related to contentious environmental issues is having a better theoretical understanding of how risk perceptions function in real-world social systems. Our study applied Scherer and Cho's social network contagion theory of risk perception (SNCTRP) to cormorant management (a contentious environmental management issue) in the Great Lakes Basin to: (1) assess contagion effects on cormorant-related risk perceptions and individual factors believed to influence those perceptions and (2) explore the extent of social contagion in a full network (consisting of interactions between and among experts and laypeople) and three "isolated" models separating different types of interactions from the full network (i.e., expert-to-expert, layperson-to-layperson, and expert-to-layperson). We conducted interviews and administered questionnaires with experts (e.g., natural resource professionals) and laypeople (e.g., recreational and commercial anglers, business owners, bird enthusiasts) engaged in cormorant management in northern Lake Huron (n = 115). Our findings generally support the SNCTRP; however, the scope and scale of social contagion varied considerably based on the variables (e.g., individual risk perception factors), actors (i.e., experts or laypeople), and interactions of interest. Contagion effects were identified more frequently, and were stronger, in the models containing interactions between experts and laypeople than in those models containing only interactions among experts or laypeople.

Communication programs are a tool available to wildlife managers for managing risks associated with wildlife diseases such as bovine tuberculosis (TB). Evaluating these communication efforts is vital for successful disease management planning; yet, systematic evaluations of wildlife disease-related communication programs are lacking. To this end, we analyzed the content of 41 print and electronic TB risk communication materials (e.g., brochures, handouts, websites) available to stakeholders in Michigan and Minnesota, USA, during April 2010 to 1) describe and compare the materials; 2) make data-based recommendations to improve existing messages; and 3) highlight the ability of the extended parallel process model (EPPM), a well-known health communication theory, to serve as a framework for evaluation of wildlife disease issues. All message components central to the EPPM were identified in our sample of TB risk communication materials. More than 80% of materials promoted 1 behaviors believed to reduce the risks of TB transmission among and between wildlife and livestock in Michigan and Minnesota. Messages conveying severity and susceptibility of TB-related risks were present in 73% and 56% of the materials, respectively; whereas, efficacy messages promoting the ease and effectiveness of recommended behaviors were far less prevalent. Results provide insights for future TB and wildlife disease-related risk communication efforts (e.g., design messages that enhance stakeholder perceptions of efficacy) and demonstrate the utility of the EPPM as a framework to evaluate risk communication materials and messages for wildlife disease-related stakeholders. ß 2013 The Wildlife Society KEY WORDS extended parallel process model, Odocoileus virginianus, persuasion, risk messaging, white-tailed deer, wildlife disease.

ABSTRACT1. Decision-makers can leverage understanding about the human dimensions (HD) of shark conservation to inform more effective conservation action. Characterizing risk frames on shark diving websites can provide insight about the HD of shark conservation and deepen understanding of the role of risk in influencing human relationships with wildlife.2. The objectives of the current study were to: (1) describe risk frames (e.g. victim, perpetrator) found on shark diving websites; (2) explore themes among and between risk frames; and (3) synthesize implications for conservation.3. Content among 53 websites was analysed in December 2008; 15% used only a perpetrator frame, 21% used only a victim frame, 36% used both frames and 28% used neither frame.4. Websites with a conservation link were more likely to use a victim frame (T 5 0.283, Po0.05). The occurrence of both frames on study websites speaks to the relevancy of applying risk-related thinking to shark conservation.5. This research highlights how risk frames are contextualized on selected shark diving websites. Integrated with understanding of the ecological processes surrounding sharks and their conservation, HD information such as that presented here can contribute to more effective shark conservation.

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