COMMUNICATIONS FOR
WILDLIFE PROFESSIONALS
Susan K. Jacobson
Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
University of Florida,
Gainesville, FL 32611 USA
Introduction
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Most challenging wildlife problems include
people as part of the problem and
communication will be part of the solution.
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Effective communication is essential for
managing ecosystems, influencing conservation
policy, changing people’s behaviors, garnering
funds, or recruiting volunteers.
Introduction

Communication is a process of exchanging ideas
and imparting information. Poor communication
leads to problems.
A handmade billboard declares,
“Kids not Cougars,” in a local
effort to prevent reintroduction of
endangered Florida panthers.
Photo by SK Jacobson
Photo by SK Jacobson
Human conflicts with wildlife include
concerns about diseases, depredation, and
regulation. Even opportunities for hunting,
ecotourism, and education require effective
communication to better manage wildlife
and people.
What is Communication?
► Models
of communication
 Encoding stage – the source sends message
 Decoding stage – receivers receives/interprets message and
any response provides feedback for evaluation
Simplified model of the
communication process.
Elements of Communication
► Source
- central person or organization
communicating
 Have a certain way they want the message to be received but cannot
completely control encoding or decoding.
 Tone, gestures, credibility are important
► Message
and Medium
 Once the source's ideas are encoded or translated, they are transmitted in
the form of a message. (complexity will influence receptivity)
► Interpersonal
approaches– conversation, group interaction and decisionmaking processes, speeches, and participatory demonstrations
► Mass media approaches –newspaper, magazine, radio, television, Internet,
mail, brochure, newsletter
Factors Influencing Decisions Regarding
Appropriate Messages and Media
Factors
Questions to ask
Background and habits of the audience
What are the interests and media sources of your
target audiences?
Attributes of the message
Does it require background knowledge, maps,
graphics, color, or sound?
Urgency of the message
Do you need a response today or next month?
Complexity of the message
Is a 30-second sound bit adequate for the message
or is a lengthy educational publication necessary?
Frequency of the message
Is repetition needed regularly, seasonally,
infrequently? Do new people keep joining the
target audiences?
Personnel required
Is staff time available for personal contact,
developing materials, providing outreach
activities, interfacing with media, or training
volunteers?
Cost
How many in your target audience can be
reached, for how long, with what detail, at what
price?
Elements of Communication
► Receiver
 An understanding of the receiving audience is vital in designing
messages and selecting media to produce an effective program.
► Audience research to
orient wildlife communication program to meet your
audiences’ needs and to promote the products of your organization.
► Feedback
 Was your message received as intended?
 Help you evaluate whether you achieved objectives to increase
your audience’s awareness about a wildlife issue, shifted their
attitudes, or changed their behaviors.
► Program worked?
► Improvements?
Communication Process
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Systematic plan
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Identifying communication goals
Targeting specific audiences
Selecting appropriate media and messages
Evaluating your results
It begins with a GAME PLAN
Game Plan for Communication
Programs
Goals
Evaluation
Audience
Messages/Media
A GAME plan to guide wildlife communications involves an iterative process to
identify your Goals and objectives, Audiences, Message and Media strategy, and
Evaluation techniques.
Game Plan Elements
► Goal: What is your purpose or desired outcome?
► Audience: What audiences or stakeholders are
involved in the issues to be communicated? For each
audience, what changes/actions are needed?
► Message/Media
Strategy: What messages must be
sent? What channels will most efficiently result in the
desired behaviors?
► Evaluation: How will you know if the strategy
worked?
Identifying Communication Goals
and Objectives
►
►
Goals of wildlife
organizations may be to
protect endangered species,
sustain game animals,
conserve land, manage a
reserve, or restore a forest.
Communication goals
generally address problems.
Problem statements can help
identify a specific goal or
specific audiences.
Identifying Communication Goals
and Objectives
► Influencing Attitudes
 Maslow’s hierarchy of needs suggests people must first address their
physiological needs before striving for self-esteem and, ultimately, selffulfillment.
Self Actualization
(Self-development and fulfillment)
Esteem
(Self-esteem, recognition, status)
Social
(Affection, belonging, acceptance)
Safety
(Security, protection, order)
Physiological
(Food, drink, shelter)
Identifying Communication Goals
and Objectives
► Influencing Behavior
 Goal of many wildlife communications program is to
affect long-term behavior—a difficult task.
 Many factors affect environmental behaviors
including knowledge of issues, skills, commitment,
beliefs, values, perception of efficacy, and social
norms or influences.
Planning Successful New Interviews
► Identifying Audience
► Developing Message
and Media Strategies
► Defining Communication Goals and Objectives
Typical questions asked in a feature interview.
What are you trying to achieve?
What is the purpose of your program?
What problems have you had?
What obstacles do you still face?
How have you handled past (and future) problems?
When did your program start?
Who started it?
How did you get interested in it?
► Evaluating
and Monitoring Your Performance
Planning a Public Talk
►
Introduction
 Grab audience attention with a startling fact and
interesting photograph. (e.g. “These golden toads
(Bufo periglenes) are now extinct)
►
Body
► Conclusion
► Transitions
► Visual Props
Photo by SK Jacobson
 (e.g., An interpreter at the Monterey Bay Aquarium
demonstrates jellyfish anatomy using a plastic model.
►
Evaluation
Photo by SK Jacobson
Evaluation Checklist for Your
Public Presentation.
Voice and Body
Content
Suitable voice volume
Understandable speaking rate
Varied vocal pitch
Pleasant voice tone
Clear articulation
Language appropriate for audience
Expressive body language
Appropriate dress
Confident manner (Your audience will
think you are confident if you appear
confident)
Good eye contact with audience
Addressed audience’s needs and
interests
Attention-getting beginning
Organized, logical flow of ideas
Points supported by examples
Effective transitions between points
Effective conclusion
Clear message
Precise words
Vivid mental images
Good use of illustrations and/or
anecdotes
Visual aids enhance message and points
Visual aids clear and easily seen
►
Planning a Scientific Presentation
► Goal:
convey scientific information. Audience is
usually other scientists.
 1 hour research seminars for job interviews.
 15-20 min presentation at scientific meeting.
► Introduction – theoretical or applied context for your
research question and main topics.
► Body
– study site, subjects, methods, results and implication
of findings.
► Conclusion
– key findings and take-home message.
Planning a Scientific Presentation
► Tips
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Arrive early.
Talk to the audience before showing slides to establish rapport.
Always preview slides.
Images should be organized in sequences to develop a single idea.
Use sequences of images to reveal the complex nature of a specific topic.
Use high-quality images.
For text slides, use bullets to minimize the number of words.
Avoid crowing too much information on a slide.
Change your voice inflection to keep the audience’s attention.
Practice your talk in front of sympathetic colleagues to get feedback.
End on time, reiterating your take home message.
Allow time for questions.
Planning Print Communications
Developing a Brochure
► Design
Elements
► Catchy Covers
► Body and Content
► Evaluation
A brief title and single, interesting photograph
attract readers to this brochure for the Royal
Society for the Protection of Birds.
Tips for Effective Writing
Write with nouns and verbs. Adjectives and adverbs seldom add vigor to a story.
For example, “Bob yelled” is more compelling than, “Bob said loudly.”
Use active, not passive, voice. (e.g., Good: “Biologist Bob darted the grizzly.”
Bad: “The grizzly was darted by biologist Bob.”)
Write simple, ordinary English. Avoid jargon and elaborate words. (e.g., write
"use" not "utilize," and "now" not "at the present time")
Avoid using qualifiers, such as “very”, “rather”, and “little”. They sap strength
from your statements.
Be clear. As Mark Twain admonished: “Choose the right word, not its second
cousin.”
Relay your message using elements of interest to the reader.
Be specific and provide details; do not be vague.
Be concise. Use short sentences and paragraphs; they are easier to read.
Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite. Particularly when you are starting out, the wastebasket
or delete button is your best friend.
Planning a Scientific Poster
► Poster
sessions are an important form of communication at
many scientific meetings. Highlight main message, research
findings.
► Attracting
Viewers - attractiveness, brevity, clarity and
dynamism.
► Content - title, abstract, methods etc. Best to organize around
intro, body, and conclusion. Illustrate most important results,
visually if possible, in graphs and photos.
► Layout - text, graphics, empty space should be about equal.
► Evaluation - Pilot test poster with members of target audience.
Planning Conflict Resolution
Activities
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Step 1. Focus on interests, not positions: focus your discussion
on areas of agreement and shared goals.
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Step 2. Separate people from the problem: build a good working
relationship with all sides in a conflict.
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Step 3. Generate a variety of options: don’t assume a “fixed
pie,” instead find ways to enlarge the pie to address the interests
of everyone and help solve individual problems.
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Step 4. Base the result on objective criteria: treat people fairly.
SUMMARY
Effective communication essential for influencing
conservation policy, changing people’s behavior, garnering
funds, sharing scientific advances, and negotiating
conflicts.
A review of communications process and guidelines for
common communication channels used by wildlife
professionals. (e.g. interviews, public talk, and design of
brochures and scientific posters).
Follow a GAME plan that identify goals and objectives,
analyze audiences, select media and message strategies,
and evaluate impacts to ensure your communication
process.