Against a background of an evolving wolf policy process we carried out personal structured interviews
with residents of three regions within Croatian wolf range in 1999 (n = 1209) and repeated the study,
using the same methodology in 2003 (n = 1172). We documented a change in public support for wolf conservation
and support for control of wolves. The change was a result of a real change in attitudes and not
of a change in the age structure of the sampled population. The changes were documented in the two
southern regions, Lika and Dalmatia, with attitudes shifting towards a more neutral viewpoint, as there
was a decrease in support for wolf conservation and a decrease in support to control wolves. It seems that
different birth cohorts react differently to conservation activities. In 1999, the younger cohort groups may
have been influenced more by the legal protection campaign. The older cohorts reacted more sympathetically
to livestock concerns and thus held stronger negative attitudes toward wolves. Using human
dimensions research as an evaluative tool can help large carnivore managers be more adaptive and thus
effective in their management solutions.