Proceedings of the Ninth Mountain Lion Workshop - Carnivore ...

Studying Public Perceptions and Knowledge of Cougars in Washington
as a Precursor to Outreach and Education Planning
Chris Morgan Insight Wildlife Management, PO Box 28656 Bellingham, WA 98228,
USA chrismorgan@insightwildlife.com
Jim Harmon Dept. Environmental Studies, 217 Arntzen Hall, Western Washington
University, Bellingham, WA 98228, USA jim.harmon454@gmail.com
Donald A. Martorello Bear, Cougar and Special Species Section Manager, Washington
Department of Fish and Wildlife, 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501,
USA martodam@dfw.wa.gov
ABSTRACT Cougar managers are frequently subject to political pressures that are
influenced by public perceptions. Consequently, managing cougars increasingly
demands a focus on human dimensions. To that end, Washington Department of Fish
and Wildlife (WDFW) and Insight Wildlife Management conducted a public opinion
survey in Washington in 2008. The objective of the survey was to better understand the
public’s perceptions of cougar management, identify information gaps, and define
effective outreach methodologies. The survey instrument included questions about the
ecological role of cougars, cougar behavior, human-cougar conflict, availability of
educational materials, and preferred themes for education programs. Using a random
sampling telephone survey method, we obtained results from over 800 individuals, and
conducted a stratified sub-sample in areas with a higher than average frequency of
human-cougar conflicts. We present the results of the survey and compare data from
similar surveys in other states. Ultimately, the survey will be used to develop a cougar
outreach and education plan for WDFW. We present preliminary ideas for this education
plan based upon results from the public opinion survey and other successful carnivore
outreach projects.
Proceedings of the Ninth Mountain Lion Workshop
188