Wolf Media Coverage in the Region of Castilla y León (Spain): Variations over Time and in Two Contrasting Socio-Ecological Settings

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Wolf management is often controversial, because this carnivore is viewed by some as a major threat for livestock, while others perceive it as a flagship for environmental conservation. Attitudes towards the wolf can be influenced by how the media portrays this canid, and media analysis can therefore be a useful tool for understanding and managing conflicts over wolf management. My aim was to study wolf media coverage in a newspaper in northern Spain, how it varied over the period 2006–2017, and in two different socio-ecological settings. Most documents focused on the conflictive relationship between the wolf and livestock, particularly in the south of the study area, where the carnivore is protected and has recolonised new localities, causing increasing damage to livestock. In the north, where wolves have been present for a long time and are a game species, wolf media coverage was more diverse and addressed other topics such as wolf conservation or hunting more frequently. In conclusion, this study suggests that the media often portrays the wolf as a risk for livestock and thus for human livelihood in northern Spain, which could have a significant influence on public attitudes towards the species and potentially compromise coexistence between wolves and humans. ABSTRACT: People’s attitudes towards large carnivores, and thus public support for their conservation, can be influenced by how these species are framed in the media. Therefore, assessing media coverage of large carnivores is of particular interest for their coexistence with humans. I used content analysis to assess how the grey wolf was portrayed in a newspaper in northern Spain, how wolf media coverage varied over time (2006–2017), and in two different socio-ecological settings. Most documents addressed the conflictive relationship between the wolf and livestock (60%; n = 902). Moreover, coverage of this relationship increased over the study period in the south of the study area, where the wolf is strictly protected, has recolonised new localities, and damage to livestock has increased. Overall, other topics, such as wolf conservation or hunting, appeared much less frequently in the media, but predominated in the north of the study area, where the wolf is more abundant and huntable. Conflictive issues like wolf-livestock interactions are generally attractive for audiences, but drawing attention to this issue may compromise the management of conflicts associated with wolves. Ideally, the media should promote potential wolf conservation values if coexistence between wolves and humans is sought.