Hazardous human–wildlife encounters, risk attitudes, and the value of shark nets for coastal recreation

Shark incidents are rare and graphic events, their consequences can influence the behavior of beach users, including bathers, to a great extent. These be thought as fearsome risk that may lead decision makers overreact or respond with inaction. This paper examines reaction recreational changes in shark incidents. In addition valuing visits Durban Beach, South Africa, we study visitors hypothetical scenario which protective nets, deployed coastal waters protect removed. To examine potential heterogeneity treatment effect travel cost-contingent model, develop semiparametric multivariate Poisson lognormal (MPLN) model jointly analyze observed stated visit counts. Results show removing nets at would decrease by more than 20%. Applying MPLN further find both value predicted change visitation rates vary function whether recreationists usually enter water, they have heard previous incidents, general attitude.