Spatial Distribution of Attitudes Toward Proposed Management Strategies for a Wildlife Recovery

Abstract

Wildlife managers regularly incorporate human attitudes into decisions involving wildlife conservation. Knowing the spatial distribution of particular attitudes may further assist managers in determining distribution of support of or threats against wildlife species. Using results from a mail survey and SaTScan 4.0, we assessed the spatial distribution (clustering) of attitudes toward several management strategies for the recovery of black bear in and around Big Thicket National Preserve, Texas. Statistically significant clustering occurred for two attitudes: (a) non-support for a natural (non-human assisted) increase in the bear population near the Angelina National Forest and (b) strong disagreement toward total exclusion of bears from southeastern Texas within the relatively urban Orange County. In addition, respondents closer to the preserve, a potential black bear release site, were more likely to support exclusion of bears. Analysis such as this can greatly assist managers in planning public outreach and monitoring of wildlife populations.