With the 40th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act approaching, a new UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences survey has found that Floridians are making protecting endangered species a priority.
The online survey of 499 Floridians found that respondents ranked the importance of endangered species 11th out of 15 public issues and were strong supporters of legal protections for endangered species.
The highest-rated issue, by importance, was the economy.
“The survey was conducted basically to assess where Floridians are at with respect to endangered species,” said Tracy Irani, director of the Center for Public Issues Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Not only are Floridians strong supporters of the Endangered Species Act, but also 66 percent of respondents felt it should be strengthened, even if that means infringement on personal freedom and fines for violators.
The act was created in 1973 to protect plants and animals that have declined in numbers usually due to human activity, said Dan Evans, technology and research specialist at the Gainesville-based Sea Turtle Conservancy.
The act has some loopholes — many due to enforcement, said Evans.
“It is very difficult to prove that someone has harmed or harassed an endangered species in a court of law,” he said.
Florida has 47 endangered animal species and 44 endangered plant species. The biodiversity in Florida puts environmental issues high on Floridians’ radar, according to Irani.
“I think it’s the nature of the state,” she said, “we are in the natural habitat a lot more.”
However, 23 percent of respondents said they were likely to actively protect the environment through activities like joining a conservation group, while 55 percent said they were more likely to avoid doing anything harmful.
Evans said the biggest way to engage people in conservation activities is through education.
“It’s sort of a cliché,” Evans said, “The biggest thing is letting people know easy steps they can take to be proactive, rather than big, colossal, life-changing things.”
Evans said when environmental issues impact people personally, they are more likely to take action.
“My mother-in-law lives in Central Florida and is becoming more aware of water issues because of the sinkholes,” Evans said.
The survey was one of four public opinion panels the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences will conduct this year, Irani said. The institute hopes to continue to conduct the surveys annually.
A version of this story ran on page 8 on 9/18/2013 under the headline "Endangered animals a priority"
