Masters Theses

Judy N. Dulin

Date of Award

8-1990

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Forestry

Major Professor

William E. Hammitt

Committee Members

G.R. Wells, Gordon Burghardt

Abstract

Participation in nonconsumptive wildlife recreation has increased substantially in recent years. Because of increased participation in activities such as birdwatching, wildlife viewing, and wildlife photography, a need for research has developed concerning determinants of quality among these kinds of recreation. This study was designed to determine what factors are important to the quality of a wildlife viewing experiences in Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee.

During June, July, and August 1989, 384 visitors were interviewed in Cades Cove, after completing an 11 mile (18 km) auto tour. During the 5-7 minute interviews participants were asked to answer a few brief questions and were given a list of animals that could be seen in Cades Cove and asked to indicate the number of each kind of animal they had seen. After completing the interview, participants were given a mail-back questionnaire in a return postage-paid envelope. Almost 85% of the questionnaires were returned.

Most respondents were well educated and employed as professionals, managers, or laborers. Although a large percentage of participants were from Tennessee, 27 other states and 3 other countries were reported. More than 60% of participants reported growing up in rural areas or small towns.

Wildlife associated activities that respondents participated in most frequently were wildlife viewing, nature walks, and wildlife photography. Almost 35% of respondents indicated that they subscribed to wildlife or conservation related publications but fewer belonged to related organizations or clubs.

Eight reasons for visiting Cades Cove were rated for agreement by respondents. Reasons concerned with seeing wildlife were rated highest. Also, when asked their purpose for the specific visit the day of the interview and for their many return visits, seeing wildlife was again most frequently reported.

Sixty items concerning general attitudes about animals were asked of the respondents. Scores of agreement were computed for 11 attitude categories. Respondents scored highest in attitude categories labeled aesthetic, humanistic, and moralistic and lowest in categories concerned with the consumptive use of wildlife.

Animals reported most often seen by visitors included white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), groundhogs (Marmota monax), and black bears (Ursus americanus). Most participants reported seeing fewer than 40 total animals. Butterflies (various species), crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos), and white-tailed deer were animals most often seen by the researcher during density estimates (count of the number of animals visible on the Cades Cove auto-tour, loop road). However, the researcher reported seeing more than 60 total animals during most periods of density estimates. Respondents indicated that they saw about the number of kinds, total number of animals, and the number of white-tailed deer and black bears they expected. Respondents also indicated that they felt the number of different kinds, the total number of animals, and the number of white-tailed deer seen were about right. Respondents did indicate, however, that they felt the number of black bears and wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) was too few and that the number of wild turkeys they saw was less than expected. Seeing different kinds of animals, black bears, and white-tailed deer was most important to visitor's viewing experience. Stopping the vehicle, photographing, and getting out of the vehicle to see wildlife were viewing behaviors most frequently reported by respondents.

A quality of wildlife viewing (dependent variable) regression model containing expectations toward wildlife seen, feelings toward wildlife seen, importance of different types of wildlife, density level of wildlife, visual encounters with wildlife, and viewing behavior predictors (independent variables) were examined for first-time and previous visit participants. When examining reduced multiple regression models, expectations and feelings predicted the most variation (25 to 43%) in quality of wildlife viewing for both first-time and previous visit participants. Seven predictors—expectations about the different kinds and the total number of animals seen, feelings about the number of white-tailed deer and black bears seen, the number of kinds of animals seen by the researcher, stopping the car to observe wildlife, and using binoculars or telescope to view wildlife—were significant for previous visit participants (R2=.42). Three variables—feelings about the total number of animals seen, photographing of wildlife, and using binoculars or a telescope to view wildlife—accounted for 52% (R2=.52) of the variance for first-time visitors.

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