Wildlife value orientations (WVOs) can predict consensus or controversy over wildlife-related issues and are therefore important for their successful management. We carried out on-site face-to-face interviews with Greek people (n = 2392) to study two basic WVOs, i.e., domination (prioritize human well-being over wildlife) and mutualism (wildlife has rights just as humans). Our sample was more mutualism-oriented than domination-oriented; however, domination was a better predictor of management acceptability than mutualism. WVOs were better predictors of the acceptability of lethal strategies (shooting, destruction at breeding sites, 11–36% of variance explained) relative to taking no action (9–18%) and non-lethal strategies (e.g., compensation, fencing, trapping, and relocating, 0–13%). In addition, the predictive ability of WVOs, mostly for accepting lethal strategies, increased with the increasing severity of the conflict (crop damage, attacking domestic animals, 11–29%; disease transmission, 17–36%) and depending on species conservation status and provenance (endangered native brown bear (Ursus arctos), 11–20%; common native red fox (Vulpes vulpes), 12–31%; common exotic coypu (Myocastor coypus), 17–36%). Managers should consider these findings for developing education and outreach programs, especially when they intend to raise support for lethal strategies. In doing so, they would be able to subsequently implement effective wildlife management plans.

Value orientations can predict attitudes and possibly behaviors. Wildlife value orientations (WVOs) are useful constructs for predicting differences in attitudes among segments of the public towards issues in the wildlife domain. We carried out face-to-face interviews with a representative sample of the Greek population (n = 2392) to investigate two basic WVOs, domination and mutualism and the four WVO types that result from their combination: traditionalist (high domination, low mutualism), mutualist (high mutualism, low domination), distanced (low mutualism, low domination) and pluralist (high mutualism, high domination), and how they relate to sociodemographics. Based on basic WVOs, the Greek population was predominantly mutualism-oriented. The analysis of WVO types also revealed that mutualists were the most abundant (41.0%) followed by the distanced (31.1%). Traditionalists (17.9%) and pluralists (10.0%) occupied smaller proportions of the population. Younger individuals were more mutualist-oriented, while older individuals (>35 years old) were more traditionalist and distanced-oriented. Females were more mutualist than males, the latter being more traditionalist. Those with higher education were more mutualist and less traditionalist and distanced than those with lower education. Pet owners were more mutualist and less distanced than non-pet owners. WVO types did not vary with current residence. The produced knowledge would inform about differences in WVOs among segments of the public and would be therefore useful for implementing successful wildlife conservation and management plans.

Wildlife value orientations (WVOs) and social identity are important elements in the wildlife domain and can predict attitudes toward wildlife and wildlife-management-related issues. Therefore, understanding the interrelations of WVOs and social identities is critical to successful wildlife conservation and management. We carried out on-site face-to-face surveys with representatives of four public groups with particular social identities in Greece—the general public (n = 2392), farmers (n = 405), hunters (n = 124) and farmers-hunters (n = 158)—to study variations in WVO types determined based on two basic WVOs, domination and mutualism: traditionalist (high domination, low mutualism), mutualist (low domination, high mutualism), pluralist (high domination and mutualism) and distanced (low domination and mutualism). The general public and farmers were more mutualist and distanced and less traditionalist and pluralist than hunters and farmers-hunters. Female members of the general public and farmers were more mutualist and less traditionalist than males. Younger members of the general public were more mutualist and less traditionalist than older members. WVO types did not significantly vary with residence (rural or urban) in any social identity group. Females, males and all age categories of the general public and farmers were more mutualist and distanced than traditionalist and pluralist. Our findings revealed similarities and differences in WVOs among key social identity groups, suggesting underlying differences in attitudes, and as such should be valuable for reaching consensus in critical but controversial wildlife conservation and management issues.