Public opinion can be an influential factor in wildlife management decisions. Evaluating public opinions can help legitimize, or delegitimize, management and facilitate long‐term conservation goals. This is especially true for the controversial issues surrounding the management of predators. We surveyed Montana, USA, residents during summer of 2013 to measure public opinion regarding economic and ecological impacts of the gray wolf (Canis lupus), and current management of this species. Although opinions were polarized in some areas, a greater percentage of Montanans think that wolves negatively affect the economy, but impact tourism (which contributes to the economy) positively. These differences may reflect the belief that rancher economic losses from wolf predation of cattle is greater than overall tourism gains related to wolves (e.g., wolf‐watching), in addition to the perception of wolves negatively affecting big game (e.g., elk [Cervus canadensis]). Results also show that a slightly greater percentage of Montanans feel that wolves positively rather than negatively affect the ecosystem. Regarding specific practices, more Montanans than not have a positive opinion of maintaining wolves on the landscape and also support hunting of wolves. More Montanans hold negative rather than positive opinions, however, regarding wolf trapping. This result was most evident in western Montana as assessed by a spatial distribution of opinions by county and has implications for current wolf management and nontarget species. Results of ordinal regression analyses revealed that big game hunters, males, and those who held negative opinions of the effect of wolves on the Montana ecosystem and economy were significantly more likely to support both hunting and trapping practices. Living in western Montana predicted positive opinions of hunting, but alternatively, negative opinions of trapping. These results provide an understanding of public opinion of wolf management by county as well as statistical inferences that can be useful for informing more regionally oriented management practices. © 2016 The Wildlife Society.

中文翻译：

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使用空间，经济和生态意见数据来通知灰狼保护区。

公众舆论可能是影响野生动植物管理决策的因素。评估公众意见可以帮助使管理合法化或使其合法化，并促进长期保护目标。对于围绕捕食者管理的有争议的问题尤其如此。我们在2013年夏季对美国蒙大纳州的居民进行了调查，以评估公众对灰太狼（Canis lupus）的经济和生态影响的意见），以及当前对该物种的管理。尽管在某些地区意见分歧，但蒙塔纳斯人中有更大比例的人认为狼对经济产生负面影响，但对旅游业（对经济做出贡献）产生积极影响。这些差异可能反映了这样一种观念，即人们认为狼对大游戏的消极影响（例如麋鹿[ Cervus canadensis]）对牛的捕食对牧场主的经济损失要大于与狼相关的整体旅游业收益（例如，狼监视）。]）。结果还显示，蒙大纳人中有略高百分比的人认为狼对生态系统有积极影响，而不是消极影响。关于特定的作法，蒙大纳州有更多的人对维持狼群的景观抱有积极的看法，同时也支持猎杀狼群。然而，更多的蒙塔南人对狼的捕捉持消极而非积极的态度。根据县的意见空间分布，该结果在蒙大拿州西部最为明显，并且对当前的狼管理和非目标物种有影响。序数回归分析的结果表明，大型猎手，雄性以及对狼对蒙大拿州生态系统和经济的影响持负面看法的人，更有可能同时支持狩猎和诱捕实践。居住在蒙大拿州西部的人们对打猎有正面的看法，但对诱捕则有负面的看法。这些结果有助于了解各县对狼管理的舆论以及统计推断，这些信息可能有助于告知更多以地区为导向的管理实践。©2016野生动物协会。