Ocelot Awareness among Latinos on the Texas and Tamaulipas Border

Abstract

Knowledge about wildlife represents a critical component of conservation. Although several variables (e.g., gender, education, length of residency) predict components of wildlife knowledge, previous research on the topic has rarely included multivariate analysis and has not focused on Latinos, the largest ethnic minority in the United States. We addressed this gap with a survey assessing the ability of residents on the Texas–Tamaulipas border to identify an ocelot. Few residents (13%, n = 402) could identify an ocelot. Males, those with higher education and income levels, longer-term residents, and residents owning rural and agricultural properties were most likely to identify ocelots correctly. These results suggest wildlife education and extension activities in borderland communities should target females, new residents, and residential property owners. Future research should address the extent these findings apply for Latino populations outside borderland contexts.

Keywords:

• endangered species
• gender
• Hispanic
• knowledge
• Latino
• Lower Rio Grande Valley
• Mexican American