U.S. National Park visitor perceptions and behavioral intentions towards actions to prevent white-nose syndrome

Visitors to U.S. National Parks overwhelmingly support preventive actions against white-nose syndrome (WNS), with willingness rates ranging from 77.7% to 96.7%. These actions include participating in educational programs, wearing protective clothing or shoes, walking over decontamination mats, and complying with cave closures. The study, conducted across eight national park units during summer 2019, found that visitors' attitudes and subjective norms—particularly influenced by park staff and signage—were strong predictors of their behavioral intentions. While perceived behavioral control did not directly predict intent, it moderated the influence of attitudes and subjective norms on intention to comply with preventive measures. This insight is crucial for implementing publicly supported conservation strategies to mitigate WNS spread and protect bat populations.

Shapiro, H. G., Willcox, A. S., Willcox, E. V., & Verant, M. L. (2022). U.S. National Park visitor perceptions and behavioral intentions towards actions to prevent white-nose syndrome. Plos One, 17(11), e0278024. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0278024