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Handbook
Public Perceptions
"Population reestablishment is essential to achieve recovery of the Florida panther."
Jordan 1994: 106
"Public attitudes and fears will probably be the major factor affecting success of reintroduction efforts."
Belden and McCown 1996: 13
"We still profess our love of the land and its treasures, but our love rarely interferes with our abuse of it."
Philip Sabecoff, Green Wire (Dowie 1996:18)
Saving the Florida panther depends on the active support of the public. Reintroduction of the panther to portions of its historic range in particular requires an informed, supportive, and active citizenry.
Statewide telephone surveys in 1985, 1987, and 1995 revealed that Floridians have very positive attitudes toward wildlife. In 1995, 98 percent of the people surveyed believed that protecting wildlife habitat was important, and 95 percent believed that protecting endangered species was important (Duda and Young 1995a).
A telephone survey specifically addressing attitudes toward the Florida panther found that 91 percent of respondents supported efforts to save the Florida panther from extinction and that 83 percent were supportive of efforts to reintroduce the panther to portions of its historic range (Duda and Young 1995b). A similar survey of people in north Florida where cougars were released found that 80 percent of the respondents supported efforts to save the panther from extinction (Cramer 1995). However, this type of passive support is probably not enough. A minority of active individuals can exert far more influence than a passive majority.