Anchorage Residents’ Opinions On Wildlife Population Levels
This 2010 study conducted for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game found that most adults living in the Anchorage area understand and tolerate coexisting with wildlife, which includes large and potentially dangerous animals. An estimated 250-300 black bears, 60+ brown bears, 4 wolf packs, and 1,700 moose live in or around the city of Anchorage.
This study was conducted a little more than a year after three Anchorage residents were attacked by brown bears within city limits. It sought to gauge residents’ opinions on wildlife populations and the potential problems caused by interactions between humans and these animals in the Anchorage area.
Concerning wildlife values and knowledge of wildlife:
- 92% of residents say that wildlife is an important part of their community and 86% say that wildlife encounters make life in the area more interesting and special.
- Residents are somewhat tolerant to black bears (61%, 35% prefer they were not there), but less so of brown bears (48% tolerant, 48% prefer they were not there).
- 87% of residents say that encounters with moose make life more interesting and special, with tolerance particularly high (94%) for this animal.
- Residents claim to know a great deal or moderate amount about black bears (71%) and brown bears (66%).
- Information about wildlife among residents comes from newspapers (30%), television (25%), internet (20%), personal experience (20%), books (15%), and word of mouth (15%).
Opinions on the amount of wildlife in Anchorage area:
- The majority of residents would like the populations of black bears (58%), brown bears (56%), and moose (63%) to remain the same, though some would prefer a decrease in the population of black bears (28%), brown bears (31%), and moose (24%).
- 61% of residents never see black bears and 60% say they never want to see them.
- 85% of residents never see brown bears and 79% say they never want to see them. Of those who do see them a few times a year, 40% say they would like to never see them.
Negative interactions and damage caused by wildlife:
- About 1 in 20 residents report having problems with either brown or black bears.
- 88% of residents agree that most of these problems can be prevented with a few simple precautions.
Opinions on wildlife management:
- The majority of residents oppose having wildlife authorities destroy black bears (54%), brown bears (53%), or moose (63%) to reduce the population.
- There are some situations, however, where residents would support killing specific bears, for example where a bear poses a threat to human safety (83%) or where bears cause property damage (53%). More oppose killing bears that get into garbage (48%), or that are seen frequently in neighborhoods (56%).
- 68% oppose reducing the moose population as a food source to reduce the number of brown bears.