Taiwanese attitudes toward the clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) and its potential reintroduction

Abstract

ABSTRACT Social acceptance is crucial to reintroduction projects involving large felids, yet few studies have assessed public attitudes toward reintroduction candidates prior to release. To assess attitudes toward clouded leopards, a reintroduction candidate in Taiwan, we conducted interviews with 263 rural indigenous locals in southern Taiwan and distributed an internet questionnaire to 500 Taiwanese urbanites. Rural and urban attitudes were 67% and 76% positive toward clouded leopards, respectively. Higher knowledge about clouded leopards, male respondents, and younger-aged respondents were positively correlated with rural attitudes toward clouded leopards. Comparably, an increase in knowledge, male respondents, and those with more household children were positively associated with urban attitudes. Additionally, 67% of rural and 71% of urban respondents exhibited positive attitudes toward clouded leopard competitors and prey in Taiwan, respectively. Our findings suggest that clouded leopard reintroduction may already be well-supported among members of Taiwanese indigenous nations and more broadly by the general public.