Proceedings of the Seventh Mountain Lion Workshop

MOUNTAIN LIONS IN SOUTH DAKOTA: RESULTS OF A 2002 PUBLIC OPINION
SURVEY
LARRY M. GIGLIOTTI, Planning Coordinator/Human Dimensions Specialist, South Dakota
Department of Game, Fish and Parks, 523 E. Capitol, Pierre, SD 57501, USA, email:
larry.gigliotti@state.sd.us
DOROTHY M. FECSKE, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Box 2140B, South
Dakota State University, Brookings, SD 57007, USA, email: gdf@rapidnet.com
JONATHAN A. JENKS, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Box 2140B, South
Dakota State University, Brookings, SD 57007, USA, email:
Jonathan_Jenks@sdstate.edu
Abstract: Mountain lions (Puma concolor) are a state threatened species in South Dakota,
although there is an established breeding population in the Black Hills. The Department of
Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) is currently funding a multi-year research project through South
Dakota State University to learn more about the status of mountain lions. The information will
be used by GFP to develop a mountain lion management plan. Public opinion and understanding
of mountain lions will be a critical component for developing and implementing a management
plan. This public opinion survey was the first step in developing the social component (human
dimensions) of the plan. The survey was conducted in the early spring of 2002. Of 1,783
deliverable questionnaires mailed to South Dakota residents, 1,114 usable questionnaires were
returned for a total return rate of 62.57%. A one-page survey of non-respondents also was
conducted; of those, 103 (19.5%) were returned. Overall, the majority of respondents (>50%)
believed that presence of mountain lions was an indication of a healthy environment, lions and
hunters did not compete for deer, if people modified a few behaviors they could coexist with
lions, and lions should be able to exist wherever they occurred in South Dakota. Survey results
were used to develop an attitude model to provide a framework for understanding public opinion
of mountain lions. The model was intuitive, but derived empirically using a cluster analysis
procedure from respondents’ answers to 12 questions. The model represented a continuum of
attitudes ranging from strongly supportive of to strongly disliking mountain lions. Based on the
model, 22.7% of the respondents were strongly pro-lion, 33.7% slightly pro-lion, 11.3% neutral,
22.5% slightly contra-lion, and 9.8% of the respondents strongly contra-lion. Cluster names
were descriptive of the general attitudes held toward mountain lions in South Dakota, and
responses provided to other questions in the survey were used to further describe each clustergroup.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SEVENTH MOUNTAIN LION WORKSHOP
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