Social License Pressure and Public Support for the Lethal Control of Dingoes in Australia.

Abstract

The lethal control of dingoes to protect livestock has been publicly funded since Australia was colonised. Although lethal dingo control had social license to operate (i.e., public support) from colonial settlers, there have been limited examinations into contemporary Australian opinions. This study explored predictive factors for Australian public support for lethal dingo control. It was hypothesised that higher social license pressure (perceptions of low procedural fairness, trust, and confidence in the governments dingo management policies), positive attitudes toward Australian wildlife, and dog ownership would predict less support for lethal dingo control. Additionally, attitude towards Australian wildlife was predicted to mediate the relationship between social license pressure and support for lethal dingo control. Australian adults (N = 990, aged 18 - 83, 52% women) voluntarily completed an online survey, which included the Attitudes to Australian Wildlife scale and novel items. Results supported all hypotheses (p < .001). More Australians opposed lethal dingo control than supported it. Social license pressure, attitude towards Australian wildlife, and dog ownership significantly predicted support for lethal dingo control as hypothesised. Attitude towards Australian wildlife mediated the relationship between social license pressure and support for lethal dingo control with a large effect size (f2 = 1.73). This study provides evidence of tenuous community support for the lethal control of dingoes. Given that a loss of social license would challenge Australias longstanding livestock practices, our findings are particularly useful for the proactive development of dingo management policies that the Australian public will support. HighlightsO_LISupport for lethal dingo control was polarised, but more Australians were opposed C_LIO_LIUnfavourable public perception of dingo policies; increasing social license pressure C_LIO_LIDog owners demonstrated less support for lethal dingo control than non-dog owners C_LIO_LIWildlife attitudes mediated social license and support for dingo control relationship C_LIO_LISocial license to operate for lethal dingo control is tenuous in Australia C_LI