A content analysis from 153 years of print and online media shows positive perceptions of the hellbender salamander follow the conservation biology

Print and online media may reflect changing perceptions about wildlife when viewed in a historical context, as conservation programs bring about increased awareness of declining species. With a proven history of public misunderstanding and persecution, we focused on a nongame and at-risk species, the hellbender salamander (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis). To determine whether public perceptions of hellbenders change according to societal interests...