Predicting Private Landowner Support toward Recolonizing Black Bears in the Trans-Pecos Region of Texas

Abstract

Black bears (Ursus americanus) began recolonizing the Trans-Pecos region of Texas from Mexico in the late 1980s after a 30-year absence. This region is predominately a ranching community and knowledge of landowner attitudes is essential to development of management plans for this population. We surveyed 1,100 landowners in the region to measure their response toward the natural recolonization of black bear in the Trans-Pecos. More positive scores toward black bear recolonization came from younger, more educated landowners who had owned land for less than three generations. Of the landowners against recolonization most (52%) believed that livestock losses would be excessive. Managers would benefit by focusing their efforts on increasing awareness of methods for preventing black bear damage to landowners with negative attitudes and those owning large parcels (>4,048 ha) of land possibly containing potential bear habitat. It is important that managers consider and incorporate landowners when managing this increasing black bear population.