Public Perceptions of Management of Possums - 3. PERCEPTIONS OF POSSUMS & BOVINE TUBERCULOSIS

3. PERCEPTIONS OF POSSUMS & BOVINE TUBERCULOSIS

3.1 Personal Experience of Possums

The focus group discussions did not examine people's experiences of possums directly. However, relevant comments were made by participants based on their experience of:

damage they had seen to native forest
visibility of road kills
possum hunting as a form of recreation
damage to ornamental and vegetable gardens
experience of invasion of homes or nuisances at night
nuisance of possums during camping trips
past involvement in control operations on farms
possums as pets.

These responses were used to formulate the first question in the survey on experiences of possums. The most common experiences recorded in the survey were having seen a dead or live possum (95% and 94%, respectively), knowing someone who has hunted or trapped possums (76%), and having seen possum damage in native forest (60%) (Table 3.1).

Total experience of possums (i.e., the number of the listed experiences had) was significantly greater for those aged over 40, males, rural residents, and members of conservation organisations compared to those under 40, females, urban residents, and non members (Mann-Whitney U: all p < 0.001).

Males were more likely than females to have had all the experiences of possums except having seen a dead possum, had a problem, and seen garden damage (Mann-Whitney U: p < 0.001). Rural residents were more likely to have had all of the listed experiences than urban residents (Mann-Whitney U: p < 0.001). Respondents in the older age groups were more likely to have had a problem with possums, seen crop and garden damage, and been involved in control operations (Mann-Whitney U: p < 0.001).

Members of environmental organisations were more likely than non-members to have had a problem with possums, seen garden and forest damage, and seen control operations (Mann-Whitney U: p < 0.001). No significant differences in experience were recorded between members and non-members of animal welfare organisations.

Just over one-half of those who had hunted or trapped possums had also experienced a problem with possums.

Table 3.1 Experiences of Possums and their Effects

Experience*	% of total sample	% of males	% of females	% of urban residents	% of rural residents	% of members of animal welfare groups	% of members of environmental groups	Number of valid responses
seen a dead possum	95	96	95	95	98	98	99	1127
seen a live possum	94	97	92	94	99	97	96	1127
know anyone who has hunted or trapped possums	76	84	68	73	86	80	80	1127
seen possum damage in native bush	60	72	49	58	70	65	75	1122
seen possum damage in gardens	50	53	48	46	70	56	62	1126
seen possum damage to crops	43	50	35	39	57	48	50	1126
hunted or trapped possums	41	60	22	37	61	36	48	1125
had a problem with possums	35	37	32	30	53	43	45	1126
seen possum control operations	34	41	26	31	46	41	46	1125
been involved with possum control operations	12	16	8	10	23	15	17	1118

* as worded on the questionnaire

3.2 Perceptions of Possums

Focus Groups

Initial responses to the image of a possum varied depending on the composition (and focus) of the group. Farmer/production groups mainly saw the possum as a BTb carrier and therefore an economic threat to themselves and to New Zealand; the environmental group saw it as a destroyer of native forest; and the production forestry group saw it as threat to forest production and therefore the economy. All groups saw possums as a major pest, a carrier of BTb and therefore an economic threat, and a destroyer of native forest and an unwanted nuisance, but all groups also saw possums as aesthetically attractive ("soft", "cuddly" or "fluffy", "cute", "nice brown eyes"). Some groups identified possums as a source of fur, employment and income, or as a recreational opportunity. Others identified them as out of control, and considered that control was currently ineffective.

A wide range of possum impacts on rural New Zealand and the environment were identified. In all groups, the main impact of the possum was seen to be on the environment, although people were generally unaware of the scale and nature of the problem. As they learned more about the possum problem from their fellow group members and from information provided by the facilitators, the participants' perceptions of the animal became increasingly less favourable, and their level of concern increased.

Survey

Respondents were asked to say whether they agreed or disagreed with a series of statements about possums derived from the focus group comments (Table 3.2).

Table 3.2 Perceptions of Possums

Proposition Offered	% agree	% neither agree nor disagree	% disagree	% don't know	number of valid responses
Possums are a threat to NZ's native bush	95	1	3	1	1127
Possums are a problem in NZ	93	2	4	1	1127
Possums are a threat to NZ birdlife	80	3	7	9	1127
Possums carry Bovine Tuberculosis	80	2	1	17	1127
Possums are a threat to NZ's overseas trade	70	5	11	13	1127
Possums are a concern to me	64	10	26	0	1123
Possums are cute, furry animals	35	10	55	1	1127
Possums are native to NZ	12	3	76	9	1127
Possums are basically harmless	10	8	80	3	1126

People were generally consistent in their perceptions of possums - for example possums were typically seen as all of the following: a BTb threat, a threat to trade, and as a threat to native birds and forest.

The level of experience of possums was not closely related to the way they were perceived. The proportion of respondents who said that possums were a concern to them was higher than the proportion who had direct experience of possum problems. This suggests that the question was interpreted in two ways; "I am concerned about the effects of possums", and "Possums are of concern because they affect or may affect my interests/livelihood". Both responses signalled that the possum problem was a threat to them, either direct or indirect. This is contrary to what was found in the focus groups, where experience of possum impacts and their scale was an important factor in people's attitudes to possums.

The perception that possums are a threat to overseas trade seemed to be the best predictor of an overall negative perception of possums (measured by disagreement with the "harmless" and "native to New Zealand" propositions, and agreement with the propositions that "possums are carriers of BTb" and present various "threats to New Zealand"). A substantial minority (12%) of the respondents thought the possum is native to New Zealand and a further 12% did not know. In addition, 17% did not know that possums carried BTb. Even though many respondents may have had favourable or even erroneous views of possums (in that they saw possums as basically harmless, cute, or native to New Zealand), most such respondents still considered possums to be a problem or a threat to New Zealand. Most of this group were not personally concerned about possums.

Males were less inclined than females to agree with the propositions favourable to possums such as "cute and furry" and "basically harmless". In the latter case the gender difference was statistically significant (Mann-Whitney U test: p < 0.05). In addition, males were less likely to believe that possums are native to New Zealand(Mann-Whitney U: p < 0.01). Overall, females were less inclined than males to recognise the threats that possums pose to New Zealand, and were less likely to be personally concerned about them (Mann-Whitney U: p < 0.001).

Those aged 40 and over were more likely to agree that possums are problematic, a threat to New Zealand's trade and of personal concern, and less likely to agree that possums are harmless and native to New Zealand (Mann-Whitney U: p < 0.01 for each proposition).

Generally, rural and urban respondents saw possums in the same light, though rural people were more likely to see possums as a matter of personal concern (Mann-Whitney U: p < 0.01). Agricultural workers have a direct personal stake in the possum problem, and this was reflected in their high rate of agreement that possums carry BTb, and that they threaten overseas trade. Consequently, agricultural workers showed the highest level of personal concern about possums.

Members of animal welfare organisations had similar views of possums as non-members, although they were more likely to agree that possums are a problem in New Zealand (Mann-Whitney U: p < 0.05). Members of environmental organisations were more likely to agree that possums are a problem, threaten trade, endanger native birds, and to be personally concerned, than non members, and less likely to believe possums are native to New Zealand (Mann-Whitney U: p < 0.05 for each proposition).

3.3 Awareness of the Pest Status of Possums

As noted previously, almost all focus group participants recognised the possum as a pest. This was confirmed in the survey, where 79% of the respondents said they were aware that possums are officially classified as a pest in New Zealand. Overall experience of possums and having a negative perception of possums were not related to knowledge that the animal is a pest.

Seventy seven percent of urban residents knew that possums are a pest compared with 87% of rural residents (Mann-Whitney U: p < 0.001). Knowledge of the pest status of possums increased with age of respondent, with those aged 40 and over more likely to know possums are a pest than those aged under 40 (Mann-Whitney U: p < 0.05). Agricultural workers showed the highest level of awareness of possums as a pest (86%) followed by the white-collar occupational groups. Members of animal welfare or environmental groups did not appear to be more informed than non members. Just under one-quarter of the RSPCA members in the survey did not know about the status of possums although their Society officially considers possums to be a pest.

3.4 Awareness of the Bovine Tuberculosis Problem

The focus groups identified more with the environmental problems of possums than with the impact of BTb. These impacts were often not known or were inaccurately understood in the non-primary sector groups. Much of the discussion on BTb was based around the health risk to humans.

Although all the focus groups considered BTb to be a threat to trade, the primary sector groups linked BTb to a wider range of issues, including financial cost, capital risk, managing the human component of BTb control, and the personal and community impacts. The non-primary sector groups linked BTb to trade and human health risks with several past health risks being identified, such as listeriosis in mussels, mad cow disease, and human tuberculosis.

The survey respondents were asked to indicate whether possums were a problem where they lived and whether they knew any farmers with BTb on their farms (Table 3.3).

Table 3.3 : Experience & Awareness of BTb

Respondents who said BTb is problem where they lived (overall)

of these % who lived in Tb area

% who did not live in Tb area

Respondents who said they know a farmer with BTb problem (overall)

of these % who lived in Tb area

% who did not live in Tb area

Classification of residence into a "BTb area" was done on the basis of residence in an endemic or non-endemic fringe area as described on a recent map of "Tb control areas and wild Tb vector species" featured in the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment's report on possum management in New Zealand (1994, p.13). Some respondents (about 6% overall) therefore had the perception that there was a local problem with Tb even though their district was not officially classified as "endemic" or "non-endemic fringe" by MAF in 1994.

Being aware that possums carry BTb did not depend on having direct experience of the disease. Of the respondents who agreed that possums carry BTb, only 13% reported that BTb was a problem in their area and only 16% knew a farmer with a BTb problem. Of the respondents who did not know or were uncertain about the link between possums and BTb, 83% said BTb was not a problem in their area, and 89% did not know a farmer with BTb.

Contact for Enquiries

Manager, Strategic Science Team
MAF Biosecurity New Zealand
PO Box 2526
Wellington
NEW ZEALAND

Phone: +64 4 894 0115
Fax: +64 4 894 0731
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