Determinants of Quality Wildlife Viewing in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Hammitt WE, Dulin JN, Wells GR. 1993. Determinants of Quality Wildlife Viewing in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Wildlife Society Bulletin. 21(1):21-30
SUMMARY: Factors affecting the quality of wildlife viewing for 384 visitors to Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, were surveyed. Wild- life visibility potential, visual encounters with wildlife, visitor expectations and preference standards toward visual encounters, importance of type and number of animals seen, and viewer behavior were regressed on quality of wildlife viewing during an 18-km auto tour. Respondents rated quality of viewing high, with most visitors seeing -5 types of wildlife, and nearly every- one seeing white-tailed deer. Expectations to- ward the variety and total number of animals seen, preference standards toward seeing black bears, and the viewing behaviors of stopping the car and using binoculars to enhance viewing were the best predictors of a quality wildlife viewing experience. The quality of wildlife viewing mod- el explained 52% of variance for first-time viewers, and 42% for repeat viewers.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Hammitt, William; Dulin, Judy; Wells, G
- Units
- GRSM
- Keywords
- APHN, Appalachian Highlands Network, black bear, Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, GRSM, GRSM-01894, SER, social science, Southeast Region, visitation, visitor experience, white-tailed deer, wild turkey, wildlife