Nongame Wildlife and Endangered Species

Endangered species protection and restoration have been important issues in wildlife management programs since the inception of the Endangered Species Act. Threatened, endangered, and nongame wildlife programs have and will continue to become increasingly important to fish and wildlife agencies as these programs become more comprehensive in nature. Although most states have initiated nongame wildlife programs, the majority of programs remain underfunded and understaffed to appropriately monitor nongame populations in order to avoid costly eleventh-hour attempts to restore species.

Support for endangered species protection and restoration among the public is high. In a Responsive Management study conducted for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, the conservation and management of endangered species was the second highest-rated activity in importance among twelve fish and wildlife program areas. Ninety-one percent of residents considered the conservation and management of endangered species a very or moderately important program for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

Threatened and endangered species also emerge as an important issue in regional Responsive Management studies. For example, a little more than a fourth (27%) of southeast U.S. residents rated their concern for threatened and endangered species at “10,” the highest level of concern, and a majority (66%) rated their concern higher than the mid-point of “5.” In the northeast U.S., protecting endangered species was among the top two ranked programs of importance, with 85% indicating that they considered protecting endangered species very important.

Popular support for endangered species protection is paradoxically contrasted with the view that endangered species management is a threat to development. The public is under no obligation to resolve this conundrum, but agencies are. The balancing of public desires to preserve all wildlife species and the reality of highly sensitive habitats in rapidly developing areas is probably one of the most difficult wildlife policy issues agencies must confront.

In conjunction with the protection of endangered species, the reintroduction of large predators to formerly inhabited areas has increased in recent years. Much of the responsibility for the management of these large predators falls to fish and wildlife agencies. Responsive Management has found that public support for these efforts is mixed and appears to be related to numerous factors. It is clear that public opinion on specific reintroduction efforts can shift from support to opposition or from opposition to support based on public awareness, knowledge levels, media portrayal, and citizen involvement.

Responsive Management research has found the three most important reasons that the public supports reintroduction of large predators is (1) to save them from extinction, (2) that they are part of the ecosystem/ecology, and (3) that they have a historical presence.

Overall, Responsive Management studies indicate relatively low levels of awareness about the issues surrounding predator reintroduction. Focus groups conducted by Responsive Management indicate that opinions toward predator reintroduction are, in many cases, not firmly held. Some strongly held attitudes, beliefs, and value expressions do exist toward auxiliary issues surrounding predator reintroduction; however, these more strongly held attitudes are not directly about or concerning reintroduction, but will potentially impact reintroduction efforts.

The management of endangered species and the reintroduction of large predators often occur in highly sensitive and even volatile environments. The management of public opinion as well as internal factions is often a greater challenge to fish and wildlife agencies than is the management of the species itself. Responsive Management research associates are intimately aware of the cultural climate within natural resource agencies and have worked in several highly politically charged environments. Many fish and wildlife agencies have found that a partnership with Responsive Management has assisted them in managing the public opinion battles that often come when protecting endangered species and reintroducing large predators.

Recent examples of Responsive Management’s project on issues pertaining to nongame wildlife and endangered species include the following:

Pennsylvania Residents’ Opinions on and Attitudes Toward Nongame Wildlife: In 1996 Responsive Management conducted a study for the Pennsylvania Game Commission to assess residents’ opinions on and attitudes toward nongame wildlife in Pennsylvania. For this study update, Responsive Management conducted a revised version of the 1996 survey and a trends analysis using the results of the previous study to examine changes in opinions, attitudes, and behaviors regarding nongame wildlife, participation in wildlife-related recreation, and priorities for agency programs and nongame wildlife conservation efforts in Pennsylvania.
Kansas Residents’ Opinions on Threatened and Endangered Wildlife and Actions to Protect Wildlife: This study was conducted for the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism to determine residents’ knowledge of and opinions on threatened and endangered wildlife, as well as their support for or opposition to various actions to protect threatened and endangered wildlife. The study entailed a telephone survey of Kansas residents 18 years old and older.
Assessment of the Way in Which Chimpanzees Are Perceived by United States Residents: Americans’ perceptions of chimpanzees, including the ways in which various images and media portrayals affect those perceptions, were examined in a nationwide survey. The study entailed assessing respondents’ reactions to, as well as ability to correctly identify, images of chimpanzees and nine other species; asking respondents to rate their own knowledge level of chimpanzees; and measuring actual knowledge levels of the current status (i.e., endangered) of chimpanzees in the wild.
African Community Members’ Opinions on the Commercial Trade and Consumption of Bushmeat: A large qualitative research study was conducted to assess African community members’ knowledge of and opinions on the commercial trade and consumption of bushmeat in the United States to better understand attitudes toward the illegal trade and consumption of non-domesticated African wildlife, which has threatened many species in Central and West Africa and has been correlated with the spread of disease. Several series of focus groups were conducted in major metropolitan areas of the U.S. with Central and West African expatriates. In addition to assessing knowledge and general attitudes, the focus groups explored potential support for approaches to dealing with the bushmeat crisis, education on wildlife conservation and sustainability, law enforcement procedures, and public outreach and information dissemination.
Arizona Residents’ Attitudes Toward Nongame Wildlife: This telephone survey of Arizona residents was conducted for the Arizona Game and Fish Department to assess their attitudes toward and behavior regarding nongame-related outdoor activities, as well as their opinions on the importance of various Arizona Game and Fish Department programs and the performance of the Department.
Specific Educational Marketing Strategies for Florida’s Nongame Wildlife Program: This project involved a telephone survey of Florida residents to assess attitudes toward and behaviors regarding wildlife and wildlife conservation, identify important demographic subgroups with varying degrees of support for wildlife conservation, and gather information to facilitate the development of a communications plan to further the goals of the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission.
Pennsylvania Residents’ Opinions on and Attitudes Toward Nongame Wildlife (earlier survey iteration): For this project, Responsive Management conducted a telephone survey of Pennsylvania residents to assess their opinions on the functions, performance, and programs of the Fish & Boat and Game Commissions, as well as their attitudes toward hunting, fishing, and funding mechanisms for Nongame Wildlife Conservation.
Public Opinion and Knowledge Regarding Grizzly Bear Recovery Efforts in the Cabinet Mountains and Yaak Valley: This survey was conducted for the Cabinet Yaak Grizzly Bear Outreach Project to determine the behaviors and opinions of people within Lincoln and Sanders Counties regarding grizzly bears and grizzly bear recovery efforts in the Cabinet Mountains and Yaak Valley.
Manatee Education and Outreach Assessment: An assessment of existing education and public awareness materials and programs related to the Florida manatee was conducted for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Manatee Recovery Implementation Team Education Working Group. The assessment was designed to identify any overlaps among the various education and outreach efforts; the full range of manatee issues that may need to be addressed through education and outreach but are not currently being adequately addressed; the target audiences that should be served by the Education Working Group, including those not currently being adequately served; and the best strategies and technologies to educate and inform the target audiences, including a prioritization of the groups who most need specific additional information and how to get the information to them. The study entailed a multimodal survey designed to assess the specific needs for manatee education and outreach efforts.
Arizona and New Mexico Residents’ Awareness of and Opinions on the Mexican Wolf Recovery Project: This study entailed a survey of Arizona and New Mexico residents to determine public awareness of Mexican wolf reintroduction and opinions on various aspects of the Mexican Wolf Recovery Project.
Hunters’ Knowledge of and Attitudes Toward Threats to California Condors: A telephone survey of California licensed hunters was conducted to determine their knowledge of and attitudes toward the California condor, including threats to condors, particularly lead poisoning. This survey was also conducted with Arizona and Utah hunters.
Floridians’ Knowledge, Opinions, and Attitudes Toward Panther Habitat and Panther-Related Issues: This study was conducted to assess the public’s current awareness and knowledge levels, opinions and attitudes, and behaviors regarding panther habitat and panther-related issues.
Wyoming Residents’ Attitudes Toward and Opinions on Wolf Management: This study was conducted to assess Wyoming residents’ opinions on wolves and wolf management in Wyoming as part of Wyoming’s draft wolf management plan.
Public Attitudes Toward Grizzly Bear Management in Wyoming: This study was conducted in order to gather data on Wyoming residents’ attitudes toward and opinions on the possible removal of the grizzly bear from the Endangered Species List. The purpose of the study was to gather information on Wyoming residents’ support and opposition on a number of grizzly bear management issues.
Public Opinions and Attitudes Toward Reintroducing Grizzly Bears to the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Area of Idaho and Montana: This study was conducted to assess public opinions and attitudes toward the reintroduction of grizzly bears to the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Area of Idaho and Montana.
Status of Wildlife Diversity and Nongame Programs Within State Fish and Wildlife Agencies in the United States—Results of a Nationwide Survey: This project, completed for the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, involved a nationwide telephone survey to determine the status of wildlife diversity and nongame wildlife programs within state fish and wildlife agencies nationwide. The study focused on the strategic positioning and integration of nongame wildlife programs within state fish and wildlife agencies, nontraditional constituents, and the use of volunteers.