Coexisting with Cougars:
Public Perceptions, Attitudes and Awareness of Cougars on the Urban-Rural Fringe of Calgary, Canada

Interactions between humans and cougars have been steadily increasing over the past 20 years largely due to human encroachment into cougar habitat and an increase in the human population. We determined the attitudes, knowledge, and perceptions toward cougars by residents in the urban-rural fringe of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. We found an overall positive attitude toward the presence of cougars in the area. However, residents indicated a low level of knowledge concerning regional wildlife management and wished to be more directly involved. Recommendations included: increasing the awareness of cougars through targeted education, facilitating of stakeholder involvement, developing of proactive cougar management strategies, and exploring adaptive management.