Attitudes Towards a Transient Carnivore Prior to Recolonization

Abstract

Cougars (Puma concolor) have been recolonizing portions of their historic range over the last few decades and are currently a rare, transient species in the western Great Lakes Region. Anticipatory attitude surveys can identify potential management challenges, stakeholder groups, and conservation and educational priorities for recolonizing cougars. We implemented an anticipatory attitude survey to better understand attitudes towards transient cougars in northern Wisconsin, USA. We distributed the survey in fall and early winter of 2014–15 (n = 423) and 2015–16 (n = 594). We compared attitudes towards transient cougars to attitudes towards other established large carnivores and white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). We also explored factors that may affect human attitudes towards cougars, such as hunter identity, livestock ownership, risk perception, and the loss of a domestic animal to wildlife. Despite the rare, transient status of cougars in Wisconsin, many respondents (mean of 29%) reported to have observed a cougar or sign of one in the wild in Wisconsin. Cougars had a mean favorability score similar to coyotes (Canis latrans) and wolves (Canis lupus) and less than bobcats (Lynx rufus), bear (Ursus americanus), and white‐tailed deer. Comparatively, respondents’ risk perception for all categories of risk (i.e., fear for personal safety, the safety of children, and the safety of domestic animals) was higher for cougars than for wolves. Hunter identity and loss of livestock to wildlife were determined by multinomial logistic regression as the most important parameters affecting respondents’ favorability towards cougars (ωi = 0.71). Using the 2015–2016 survey data, we found that as cougar risk perception increased, favorability towards cougars decreased similarly for both hunters and non‐hunters. Hunters were less likely to be favorable towards cougars, more likely to be neutral, and equally likely to be unfavorable towards cougars compared to nonhunters. We identify potential management challenges, stakeholder groups (e.g., hunters and those who have experienced loss of livestock to wildlife), and conservation and educational priorities for recolonizing cougars. © 2021 The Wildlife Society.

Native prey, not landscape change or novel prey, drive cougar (Puma concolor) distribution at a boreal forest range edge

“…After decades of persecution, cougars are expanding their range across eastern North America and have now been observed moving northward in the boreal forest (Anderson Jr. et al., 2009 ; Gantchoff et al., 2021 ; Knopff, Webb, & Boyce, 2014b ; LaRue et al., 2012 ; Mallory et al., 2012 ; Morrison et al., 2015 ; Olson et al., 2021 ; Stoner et al., 2021 ; Winkel et al., 2023 ). We conclude that at this boreal range edge, cougars are primarily driven by native prey species, as observed in other studies (Knopff, Webb, & Boyce, 2014b ; Maletzke et al., 2017 ), with a strong positive association with snowshoe hare activity.…”

“…However, cougars have since been eradicated from much of their former range primarily due to declining ungulate prey and unregulated harvest (Anderson Jr. et al., 2009 ; Dickson & Beier, 2002 ; Gantchoff et al., 2021 ; Mallory et al., 2012 ; Morrison et al., 2015 ; Winkel et al., 2023 ). In recent decades, cougars have begun expanding east of their western range in North America (Gantchoff et al., 2021 ; LaRue et al., 2012 ; Mallory et al., 2012 ; Olson et al., 2021 ; Stoner et al., 2021 ) and have now been observed moving northward in the boreal forest (Anderson Jr. et al., 2009 ; Knopff, Webb, & Boyce, 2014b ; Morrison et al., 2015 ; Winkel et al., 2023 ). Similar to other large carnivores, improved conservation management has played a major role in cougar recovery (Anderson Jr. et al., 2009 ; Gantchoff et al., 2022 ; Knopff, Webb, & Boyce, 2014b ; LaRue & Nielsen, 2016 ); however, there are likely other ecological factors aiding re‐establishment.…”