A gap in media communication of human-bear conflicts management

In the 21st century, with urban areas rapidly encroaching on natural habitats, human-wildlife conflicts are becoming more frequent and widespread globally. In this context, effective communication may help to mitigate conflicts. Through a standardized content analysis of newspaper articles, we assessed the media coverage of a problematic (and flagship) brown bear (Ursus arctos) individual named M49 or ‘Papillon’, which attracted media attention in Italy and elsewhere. Across 311 media reports published between 2019 and 2021, we found a lack of pro-conservation messages and scientific-based explanations behind lethal and non-lethal management strategies. Moreover, we highlight an imbalance representation of stakeholders in the news articles, with politicians, managers and environmentalists being more represented compared to scientists, farmers or residents. The media frequently polarized the dialogue around bear management, exacerbating the conflict and potentially triggering the spread of misinformation and mistrust towards institution and scientists involved in species management. To promote coexistence, we suggest conservationists to motivate their management strategies with ecological explanations and amplify their messages through mass and social media. At the same time, to prevent conflictual situations, journalists should minimize polarizing contents and report more informative and balanced news.