Preferences of experts and the general public about wildlife management in Spain

Biodiversity loss is a global challenge that requires conservation policies integrating ecological, social, and economic considerations. While scientific evidence guides policy decisions, public preferences can also shape strategies, sometimes diverging from optimal ecological outcomes. This study examines the alignment between expert and public preferences regarding wildlife management in Spain, one of Europe's most biodiverse countries. Using a discrete choice experiment conducted among experts attending the 2021 Spanish Society for the Conservation and Study of Mammals (SECEM) Conference, we compared their views with those of the Spanish public. Both groups prioritized managing scarce species over overabundant ones, though experts showed greater concern about human impacts on wildlife. Experts also exhibited more nuanced views on conservation beyond protected areas. Latent class modeling identified five behavioral classes within each group, highlighting substantial preference heterogeneity. Experts and the public also diverged in their willingness to pay for conservation efforts. These results emphasize the need to integrate expert knowledge with public values for socially acceptable and ecologically effective policies.