Context: A coyote-caused human fatality in Cape Breton Highlands National Park of Canada (CBHNPC) occurred in 2009. Because CBHNPC is federally protected, rangers have a limited number of management options for dealing with human–coyote conflict. The park initiated the present study to understand the publics’ acceptance of coyotes.

Aims: This article examined relationships between each of four independent variables (respondent type (resident vs visitor), sex, age, education) and each of four dependent variables (knowledge, attitude, two emotions) related to coyotes in CBHNPC. Researchers have repeatedly suggested that demographics are related to cognitions and emotions toward wildlife. Managers can use demographic findings to target education campaigns to specific stakeholders.

Methods: Survey data were obtained from (a) residents living around CBHNPC (n = 556, response rate = 70%), and (b) visitors hiking two popular trails in CBHNPC (n = 443, response rate = 60%).

Key results: All four independent variables were related to knowledge. Visitors were more knowledgeable about coyotes than were residents. Females were more knowledgeable than were males. Younger respondents were more knowledgeable than were older individuals. All education categories differed from each other. Findings for the attitude construct were similar. Residents held negative attitudes toward coyotes, whereas visitors were slightly positive. Males and females both held negative attitudes. The youngest age category held a positive attitude, whereas the oldest group was the most negative. Respondents with a high-school degree had a negative attitude; those with a college degree held a positive attitude. For the first emotion concept, residents were more emotional than were visitors. Males were more emotional than were females, and high-school graduates were more emotional than were college graduates. For the second emotion, there were statistical differences between residents and visitors, as well as between males and females. However, age and education were not related to this scenario.

Conclusions: Although there were statistical differences for 13 of 16 tests, over 80% of the effect sizes were minimal and there were interaction effects among the four demographic variables.

Implications: Findings highlighted complexities managers should consider when designing communication strategies aimed at influencing stakeholders’ knowledge of and attitudes and emotions toward wildlife.

背景： 2009年，加拿大布雷顿角高地国家公园（CBHNPC）发生了由土狼引起的人命。由于CBHNPC受联邦政府保护，护林员在处理人与土狼冲突方面拥有有限的管理选择。该公园启动了本研究，以了解公众对土狼的接受程度。

目的：本文研究了与CBHNPC中的土狼相关的四个独立变量（受访者类型（居民与访客），性别，年龄，文化程度）和四个因变量（知识，态度，两种情绪）之间的关系。研究人员反复提出，人口统计学与对野生动植物的认知和情感有关。管理人员可以使用人口统计结果将教育活动针对特定的利益相关者。

方法：调查数据来自（a）居住在CBHNPC周围的居民（n  = 556，回复率= 70％），和（b）远足者在CBHNPC的两条流行小径上远足（n  = 443，响应率= 60％）。

关键结果： 所有四个独立变量都与知识有关。访客比土狼更了解土狼。女性比男性知识渊博。年轻的受访者比年长的人知识渊博。所有教育类别互不相同。态度建构的发现是相似的。居民对土狼持消极态度，而访客则持积极态度。男性和女性都持消极态度。最年轻的年龄组持积极态度，而年龄最大的组则最消极。高中程度的受访者持消极态度。大专以上学历者持积极态度。对于第一个情感概念，居民比访客更具有情感。男性比女性更具情感，高中毕业生比大学毕业生更感动。对于第二种情感，居民和访客之间以及男性和女性之间存在统计差异。但是，年龄和受教育程度与这种情况无关。

结论：尽管在16个测试中有13个存在统计学差异，但超过80％的影响大小很小，并且在四个人口统计学变量之间存在交互作用。

启示：发现突出了复杂性，管理者在设计旨在影响利益相关者对野生生物的知识以及态度和情感的交流策略时应考虑。