In the human dimensions of wildlife management, evaluating stakeholder perceptions of target species helps inform effective conservation efforts. Stakeholder perceptions are invaluable when managing taxa like bats, which may have historically negative cultural preconceptions. However, insectivorous bats provide critical ecosystem services in North America through agricultural insect pest control, and many of these species are threatened by white-nose syndrome (WNS), a disease caused by an invasive fungal pathogen. In Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM), the most visited National Park in the United States (USA), bats are regularly observed roosting in historical buildings by visitors and park employees during summer. As a result, natural and cultural resource managers seek to ensure public safety and protect historical structures while minimizing impacts on bats, especially in light of declines in bat populations as a result of WNS. However, managers lacked information on visitor perceptions of bats and support for potential management action regarding the taxon. From June to August 2016, we surveyed 420 park visitors at three sites in the Cades Cove area of GRSM on their attitudes toward bats, perception of threats to and ecosystem services provided by bats, and support for management of bats. Most respondents supported management action to protect bats in buildings in Cades Cove during summer (76%). Standardized parameter estimates from a multiple linear regression developed with survey data indicated that attitudes toward bats and perception of threats to bats had the greatest effects on support for bat management. Wildlife management and conservation agencies seeking to further cultivate support for management of bats roosting in public spaces may apply these results in the design of tailored programming and outreach materials.

中文翻译：

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公众对美国东南部大烟山国家公园建筑物中栖息的蝙蝠的存在和管理的态度

在野生动物管理的人文层面，评估利益相关者对目标物种的看法有助于为有效的保护工作提供信息。在管理像蝙蝠这样的类群时，利益相关者的看法是非常宝贵的，因为蝙蝠在历史上可能具有负面的文化偏见。然而，食虫蝙蝠通过农业害虫防治为北美提供了重要的生态系统服务，其中许多物种受到白鼻综合症（WNS）的威胁，白鼻综合症是一种由入侵真菌病原体引起的疾病。在美国 (USA) 参观人数最多的国家公园大烟山国家公园 (GRSM)，夏季游客和公园工作人员经常观察到蝙蝠栖息在历史建筑中。因此，自然和文化资源管理者寻求确保公共安全并保护历史建筑，同时尽量减少对蝙蝠的影响，特别是考虑到 WNS 导致蝙蝠数量下降。然而，管理人员缺乏有关游客对蝙蝠看法的信息，也缺乏对有关该分类单元的潜在管理行动的支持。 2016 年 6 月至 8 月，我们对 GRSM Cades Cove 地区三个地点的 420 名公园游客进行了调查，了解他们对蝙蝠的态度、对蝙蝠威胁和蝙蝠提供的生态系统服务的看法以及对蝙蝠管理的支持。大多数受访者支持管理人员在夏季采取行动保护凯兹湾建筑物内的蝙蝠（76%）。根据调查数据得出的多元线性回归的标准化参数估计表明，对蝙蝠的态度和对蝙蝠威胁的感知对蝙蝠管理的支持影响最大。寻求进一步培养对公共场所栖息蝙蝠管理的支持的野生动物管理和保护机构可以将这些结果应用于定制的规划和宣传材料的设计中。