East Coast Residents Show Support for Puma Reintroduction, USGS Study Reveals
A recent study published in July by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) indicates significant public support for reintroducing pumas to Eastern states, excluding Florida wich already has a panther population. The survey assessed public opinion across seven Eastern states regarding the potential restoration of thes large carnivores.
According to researcher Mark Elbroch, support for puma reintroduction varied by location, with residents in the northeastern states demonstrating the strongest positive views. Specifically, individuals in Maine expressed greater support than those in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and West Virginia.
“Social tolerance is essential to any accomplished carnivore reintroduction program, as small carnivore populations are so susceptible to declines under human pressure,” Elbroch explained. “Pumas are habitat generalists and so we have great flexibility in where thay might thrive. However, our research to date suggests that a greater majority of people may be more willing to live with pumas in the northeastern U.S. rather than the eastern-central states.”
The study also noted a substantial number of neutral responses, which Elbroch attributed to the topic not being widely discussed. He emphasized the long-term ecological benefits of puma reintroduction, stating, “Certainly pumas are among those highly interactive species with the potential to positively influence biodiversity and ecosystem health, but these effects will be subtle and take a long time before they are apparent.” He added that benefits also include “righting past wrongs” and fulfilling a role as conservation stewards.
If a reintroduction effort were to proceed, pumas would likely be sourced from Western populations. Elbroch clarified that genetic research confirms the Eastern and Western puma populations are the same subspecies, meaning a reintroduction would be returning a native species to its historic range. He estimated that an initial population would require approximately 50 animals, followed by another 50.
The USGS study highlights the importance of government support in wildlife restoration, citing successful programs like the reintroduction of gray wolves in Western states and the restoration of species such as the wild turkey, Palos Verdes blue butterfly, river otter, and fisher. The Eastern Ecological Science Center reported that the United States has reintroduced and relocated over 1,000 species in the last 125 years.
The widespread public support revealed in the study suggests increased momentum for puma repopulation efforts in the surveyed Eastern states.