The World of Watchers

Ted Lee Eubanks

The preliminary data presented in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) 2001 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation shows that wildlife viewing increased by 5% between 1996 and 2001. Over 66 million Americans are now engaged in wildlife viewing. Residential wildlife watching increased by 4%, while nonresidential decreased by 8%.

Wildlife viewing is the only wildlife-related recreation to have experienced an increase during the most recent survey period. Wildlife-related recreation as a whole declined by 5%. Hunting declined by 7% during this period, and fishing by 3%. All forms of hunting (small game, migratory birds, and big game) and fishing (salt water, fresh water) declined during this period.

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