Citizen Knowledge and Perception of Black-tailed Prairie Dog Management: Rural/Urban Summaries
Executive Summary
Background
The Survey
Question Summaries
Rural/Urban Summaries
Glossary of Terms
References
Below are summary statistics for pertinent survey questions comparing rural, suburban, and urban responses. The executive summary contains a recap of these findings.
1a. Listed below is a series of ideas concerning prairie dog management. For each idea, please rate its benefit to society using the scale below.
Protecting prairie dogs on public and private lands will have…
|
Rurality Category
|
High Benefits to Society
|
Some Benefits to Society
|
Neutral
|
Almost No Benefits to Society
|
Low Benefits to Society
|
|
Urban
|
12.9
|
16.4
|
27.7
|
15.4
|
27.7
|
|
Suburban
|
6.4
|
11.4
|
21.8
|
16.1
|
44.3
|
|
Rural
|
4.7
|
9.0
|
21.8
|
13.8
|
50.7
|
Protecting prairie dogs on private lands owned by landowners who are willing to be compensated for their protection will have…
|
Rurality Category
|
High Benefits to Society
|
Some Benefits to Society
|
Neutral
|
Few Benefits to Society
|
Low Benefits to Society
|
|
Urban
|
11.9
|
20.4
|
25.7
|
14.2
|
27.7
|
|
Suburban
|
8.9
|
16.4
|
23.0
|
12.2
|
39.7
|
|
Rural
|
5.5
|
13.2
|
21.8
|
13.5
|
46.1
|
Protecting prairie dogs only on public lands will have…
|
Rurality Category
|
High Benefits to Society
|
Some Benefits to Society
|
Neutral
|
Few Benefits to Society
|
Low Benefits to Society
|
|
Urban
|
9.5
|
22.1
|
29.6
|
17.8
|
21.1
|
|
Suburban
|
8.6
|
15.7
|
26.9
|
15.5
|
33.3
|
|
Rural
|
8.6
|
14.8
|
21.0
|
14.9
|
40.7
|
Not protecting prairie dogs will have…
|
Rurality Category
|
High Benefits to Society
|
Some Benefits to Society
|
Neutral
|
Few Benefits to Society
|
Low Benefits to Society
|
|
Urban
|
9.1
|
6.9
|
29.7
|
20.8
|
33.5
|
|
Suburban
|
20.2
|
8.0
|
31.6
|
13.0
|
27.2
|
|
Rural
|
22.4
|
9.1
|
25.7
|
13.1
|
29.6
|
1b. Recently, there has been a lot of talk about whether prairie dogs will become endangered in the coming years. Generally speaking, how important is deciding what to do about prairie dogs compared to other environmental problems in your state?
|
Rurality Category |
One of the Most Serious Problems |
About the same as any other issue |
Less important than other issues |
It is not an issue at all |
|
Urban |
5.6 |
30.5 |
36.6 |
27.4 |
|
Suburban |
7.3 |
21.4 |
37.5 |
33.8 |
|
Rural |
9.4 |
19.0 |
34.3 |
37.2 |
1c. Listed below are several issues that wildlife experts are confronted with when managing prairie dogs. Please indicate which issue you feel is the most important and which is the least important by putting numbers in the appropriate blanks.
Most important issue
|
Rurality Category
|
Disease prevention
|
Habitat protection
|
Private land development
|
Ranch and farm practices
|
Tourism and recreation
|
Size of Prairie Dog populations
|
Location of Prairie Dog towns
|
Other
|
|
Urban
|
49.7
|
16.5
|
3.1
|
15.7
|
1.9
|
5.2
|
7.2
|
0.8
|
|
Suburban
|
41.9
|
10.5
|
2.8
|
24.8
|
2.0
|
9.0
|
7.8
|
1.2
|
|
Rural
|
36.3
|
8.3
|
2.7
|
32.1
|
2.3
|
9.2
|
6.5
|
2.7
|
Least important issue
|
Rurality Category
|
Disease prevention
|
Habitat protection
|
Private land development
|
Ranch and farm practices
|
Tourism and recreation
|
Size of Prairie Dog populations
|
Location of Prairie Dog towns
|
Other
|
|
Urban
|
4.0
|
11.3
|
20.7
|
5.0
|
34.3
|
10.9
|
12.6
|
1.3
|
|
Suburban
|
5.4
|
15.2
|
14.9
|
5.4
|
36.0
|
10.0
|
11.8
|
1.2
|
|
Rural
|
5.4
|
18.8
|
14.3
|
3.6
|
38.0
|
10.4
|
9.0
|
0.6
|
2. In general, how often do you see prairie dogs?
|
Rurality Category
|
Zero times/month
|
1-5 times/month
|
6-10 times/month
|
11-20 times/month
|
More than 20 times/month
|
|
Urban
|
45.5
|
28.7
|
10.2
|
5.9
|
9.8
|
|
Suburban
|
35.4
|
31.9
|
9.4
|
5.5
|
17.7
|
|
Rural
|
26.7
|
32.0
|
13.4
|
8.7
|
19.1
|
3. Which best describes how far your primary residence is from a prairie dog town?
|
Rurality Category
|
Within 50 yards
|
50 yards - 1/4 mile
|
More than 1/4 mile
|
Don't know
|
|
Urban
|
3.2
|
5.4
|
47.6
|
43.8
|
|
Suburban
|
2.4
|
7.0
|
60.5
|
30.0
|
|
Rural
|
1.9
|
6.2
|
66.2
|
25.7
|
5. Below is a list of specific terms that managers commonly use when they discuss management of prairie dogs. We are asking if you know the meaning of each term, have heard of the term but do not know its meaning, or have not heard of the term at all.
Random Demographic Events
|
Rurality Category
|
Know meaning
|
Heard of, but don't know meaning
|
Have not heard of
|
|
Urban
|
32.3
|
25.1
|
42.6
|
|
Suburban
|
27.8
|
23.0
|
49.2
|
|
Rural
|
24.9
|
24.7
|
50.4
|
Prairie Ecosystem
|
Rurality Category
|
Know meaning
|
Heard of, but don't know meaning
|
Have not heard of
|
|
Urban
|
63.7
|
15.2
|
21.1
|
|
Suburban
|
61.3
|
15.4
|
23.3
|
|
Rural
|
58.1
|
17.2
|
24.7
|
Diurnal
|
Rurality Category
|
Know meaning
|
Heard of, but don't know meaning
|
Have not heard of
|
|
Urban
|
18.5
|
10.4
|
71.1
|
|
Suburban
|
15.3
|
11.0
|
73.7
|
|
Rural
|
14.9
|
11.4
|
73.7
|
Habitat Fragmentation
|
Rurality Category
|
Know meaning
|
Heard of, but don't know meaning
|
Have not heard of
|
|
Urban
|
44.3
|
23.0
|
32.7
|
|
Suburban
|
43.0
|
23.8
|
33.2
|
|
Rural
|
38.2
|
26.8
|
35.1
|
Extirpated
|
Rurality Category
|
Know meaning
|
Heard of, but don't know meaning
|
Have not heard of
|
|
Urban
|
14.3
|
13.7
|
71.9
|
|
Suburban
|
13.9
|
15.0
|
71.1
|
|
Rural
|
14.3
|
16.1
|
69.6
|
Urban Sprawl
|
Rurality Category
|
Know meaning
|
Heard of, but don't know meaning
|
Have not heard of
|
|
Urban
|
71.2
|
9.6
|
19.2
|
|
Suburban
|
67.3
|
9.4
|
23.3
|
|
Rural
|
65.5
|
11.7
|
22.9
|
Burrowing
|
Rurality Category
|
Know meaning
|
Heard of, but don't know meaning
|
Have not heard of
|
|
Urban
|
88.6
|
5.5
|
5.9
|
|
Suburban
|
90.2
|
5.1
|
4.8
|
|
Rural
|
91.2
|
3.3
|
5.5
|
Sylvatic Plague
|
Rurality Category
|
Know meaning
|
Heard of, but don't know meaning
|
Have not heard of
|
|
Urban
|
25.3
|
20.0
|
54.7
|
|
Suburban
|
30.4
|
19.7
|
49.8
|
|
Rural
|
34.0
|
21.8
|
44.2
|
Habitat Conversion
|
Rurality Category
|
Know meaning
|
Heard of, but don't know meaning
|
Have not heard of
|
|
Urban
|
55.4
|
23.2
|
21.4
|
|
Suburban
|
53.8
|
23.2
|
23.0
|
|
Rural
|
54.3
|
24.0
|
21.7
|
Biological Vulnerability
|
Rurality Category
|
Know meaning
|
Heard of, but don't know meaning
|
Have not heard of
|
|
Urban
|
56.8
|
20.2
|
23.0
|
|
Suburban
|
53.3
|
21.0
|
25.7
|
|
Rural
|
51.1 |
23.2
|
25.7
|
Endangered Species Act
|
Rurality Category
|
Know meaning
|
Heard of, but don't know meaning
|
Have not heard of
|
|
Urban
|
85.7
|
10.6
|
3.7
|
|
Suburban
|
83.5
|
11.1
|
5.4
|
|
Rural
|
84.6
|
9.3
|
6.0
|
6. Because preserving or developing prairie dog habitat is one element of environmental policy, it is important to know how you feel about this issue. Please mark the best option.
|
Rurality Category
|
Protection of environment in natural state
is the only consideration
|
Environmental protection is the most important,
but not only consideration
|
Protection of environment and growth of economy
have equal consideration
|
The growth of economy is the most important,
but not the only consideration
|
Growth of economy is the only consideration
|
| Urban |
6.5
|
41.4
|
34.9
|
12.7
|
4.4
|
| Suburban |
5.9
|
32.9
|
40.0
|
16.5
|
4.6
|
| Rural |
6.6
|
26.4
|
39.5
|
21.7
|
5.8
|
7a. Prairie Dogs that interfere most often with human activities are most often...
|
Rurality Category
|
Trapped and moved
|
Poisoned
|
Shot
|
Not Sure
|
|
Urban
|
10.6
|
43.1
|
15.7
|
30.7
|
|
Suburban
|
10.4
|
47.9
|
20.8
|
20.8
|
|
Rural
|
8.8
|
54.9
|
17.4
|
18.9
|
7b. Prairie Dogs are most active during the…
|
Rurality Category
|
Daytime
|
Night time
|
Both day and night
|
Not Sure
|
|
Urban
|
50.6
|
7.8
|
15.0
|
26.6
|
|
Suburban
|
56.3
|
5.3
|
14.7
|
23.7
|
|
Rural
|
59.9
|
5.4
|
16.0
|
18.7
|
7c. A disease that can occur in prairie dogs…
|
Rurality Category
|
Rabies
|
Plague
|
None
|
Not Sure
|
|
Urban
|
23.8
|
35.7
|
0.2
|
40.3
|
|
Suburban
|
23.2
|
41.1
|
1.6
|
34.0
|
|
Rural
|
22.2
|
44.9
|
1.2
|
31.6
|
7d. Prairie Dogs live in groups called…
|
Rurality Category
|
Harems
|
Coteries
|
Pods
|
Not Sure
|
|
Urban
|
5.6
|
8.1
|
10.7
|
75.6
|
|
Suburban
|
4.8
|
10.2
|
8.8
|
76.1
|
|
Rural
|
7.8
|
9.9
|
8.1
|
74.3
|
7e. How many litters of young do prairie dogs have each year?
|
Rurality Category
|
1 litter
|
2 or 3 litters
|
4 litters
|
Not sure
|
|
Urban
|
7.1
|
19.2
|
5.3
|
68.5
|
|
Suburban
|
10.5
|
22.8
|
3.7
|
62.9
|
|
Rural
|
10.9
|
25.6
|
4.8
|
58.8
|
7f. Prairie Dogs are most closely related to…
|
Rurality Category
|
Marmots
|
Domestic Dogs
|
Chipmunks
|
Not sure
|
|
Urban
|
28.5
|
1.2
|
31.7
|
38.6
|
|
Suburban
|
30.4
|
1.0
|
26.3
|
42.3
|
|
Rural
|
27.6
|
1.1
|
28.7
|
42.7
|
