Visitor Perception of Black Bear Problems at Shenandoah National Park
Baptiste ME, Whelan JB, Frary RB. 1979. Visitor Perception of Black Bear Problems at Shenandoah National Park. Wildlife Society Bulletin. 7(1):25-29
Camp-raiding black bears (Ursus americanus) at Shenandoah National Park have caused extensive property damage and threatened serious injury to visitors. To determine a public acceptance level for noninjurious human/bear contact, a questionnaire dealing with knowledge, judgment, and attitudes concerning black bears was administered to 688 visitors representing 5 user-types at the park. Factor analysis was used to reduce the data into groups of highly intercorrelated items. Most respondents knew that visitor carelessness caused the most bear problems. About half believed that camp-raiding bears posed a problem serious enough to justify their removal. Visitors were eager to see bears, but were generally unwilling to risk property damage or minor injury to have that opportunity.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Baptiste, Mary; Whelan, James; Frary, Robert
- Units
- SHEN
- Keywords
- Animal Studies, Attitudes, Black Bear (Ursus americanus), Management, Management (Administration), Research Report, Visitors