INFORMATION SOURCES, BELIEFS AND VALUES OF KEY STAKEHOLDER GROUPS IN MEXICAN GRAY WOLF REINTRODUCTION By THERESA DELENE BEELAND A THESIS PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2008 1 © 2008 Theresa DeLene Beeland 2 To my family, and dear ones, who have lovingly supported my passionate pursuit of knowledge. “Only passions, great passions, can elevate the soul to great things.”—Denis Diderot 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS There are numerous people to thank for assisting with or encouraging this project. First, I thank the participants themselves, and the people who helped me get in touch with them, for taking time from their busy days to sit down and talk to me for several hours at their kitchen tables, in cafés and in their offices across the southwest. I hope this project reflects the great value of their time and ability to share their beliefs and experiences with me. Second, I thank those that sponsored the project: Scot Smotherman, a private hunter, conservationist and good friend; and the Mexican Wolf Conservation Fund. Third, special thanks go to the School of Natural Resources and Environment for admitting me to their Interdisciplinary Ecology program; and to Professor Kim Walsh-Childers of the Journalism Department for agreeing to advise me in the emerging path joining journalism with studies in natural resources and ecology. Last but not least, sincere and long-overdue thanks go to my family and loved ones for their endless support and encouragement. 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...............................................................................................................4 LIST OF TABLES...........................................................................................................................7 LIST OF FIGURES .........................................................................................................................8 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS..........................................................................................................9 ABSTRACT...................................................................................................................................10 CHAPTERS 1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................11 Study Purpose .........................................................................................................................11 Study Justification ..................................................................................................................11 Contextual Background: Mexican Gray Wolf History...........................................................13 Species Description and Historic Range .........................................................................13 Extermination of Gray Wolves in the Wild.....................................................................14 Captive Breeding Program ..............................................................................................15 Listing Status...................................................................................................................16 Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area....................................................................................18 Wild Wolf Removals and Livestock Death Rates...........................................................20 Organizational Structure..................................................................................................21 Stakeholder Conflicts ......................................................................................................22 2 LITERATURE REVIEW .........................................................................................................24 Information Sources, Beliefs and Values ...............................................................................24 Public Opinion and Public Policy....................................................................................25 Public Opinion Polls on the Mexican Gray Wolf Reintroduction Program....................25 Studies of Human Attitudes toward Predators........................................................................27 Compensation Studies for Wolf Depredation..................................................................30 Anti-Carnivore Beliefs in Rural Communities................................................................31 Ecological Significance of Wolves.........................................................................................32 Wolf-Prey Relationships .................................................................................................32 Non-Prey Relationships...................................................................................................33 Ecosystem Effects of Wolves..........................................................................................34 Research Questions.................................................................................................................38 3 METHODOLOGY ...................................................................................................................39 Qualitative Research...............................................................................................................39 Research Design and In-Depth Interviews .............................................................................40 5 Objectivity, reliability and validity..................................................................................41 Interview guide development ..........................................................................................43 Pre-tests and refinement ..................................................................................................44 Data Gathering.................................................................................................................45 Data Analysis...................................................................................................................47 4 FINDINGS................................................................................................................................49 Emergent Themes and Categories ..........................................................................................49 Stakeholder Group One: Livestock Producers ................................................................50 Diagrammatic Summary..................................................................................................68 Stakeholder Group Two: Wolf Conservationists ............................................................69 Diagrammatic Summary..................................................................................................85 Stakeholder Group Three: Government Employees........................................................86 Diagrammatic Summary..................................................................................................98 Summary.................................................................................................................................99 5 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION.....................................................................................105 Examination and Comparison of Stakeholder Beliefs..........................................................105 Study Limitations..................................................................................................................112 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................114 APPENDICES A MAPS.....................................................................................................................................120 B INTERVIEW GUIDES..........................................................................................................125 Livestock Producers..............................................................................................................125 Wolf Conservationists ..........................................................................................................127 Government Employees........................................................................................................129 C INFORMED CONSENT FORM ..........................................................................................131 D CAPTIVE BREEDING FACILITIES ..................................................................................133 E EXCERPTS ...........................................................................................................................135 LIST OF REFERENCES.............................................................................................................137 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH .......................................................................................................144 6 LIST OF TABLES Table page 3-1: Total audio times and transcribed pages per stakeholder group.............................................47 4-1: General findings ...................................................................................................................102 4-2: Significant beliefs about Mexican wolves and wolf program..............................................103 4-3: Significant views on wolf policies .......................................................................................104