Recovery of large carnivores in Europe’s modern human-dominated landscapes

Abstract

The conservation of large carnivores is a formidable challenge for biodiversity conservation. Using a data set on the past and current status of brown bears ( Ursus arctos ), Eurasian lynx ( Lynx lynx ), gray wolves ( Canis lupus ), and wolverines ( Gulo gulo ) in European countries, we show that roughly one-third of mainland Europe hosts at least one large carnivore species, with stable or increasing abundance in most cases in 21st-century records. The reasons for this overall conservation success include protective legislation, supportive public opinion, and a variety of practices making coexistence between large carnivores and people possible. The European situation reveals that large carnivores and people can share the same landscape.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Dec 19, 2014
Source ID
10.1126/science.1257553

Entities

People

  • Aleksandar Stojanov
  • Aleksandra Majić
  • Aleksandër Trajçe
  • Alexander Dutsov
  • Andreas Ryser
  • Bledi Hoxha
  • Christian Fuxjäger
  • Claudio Groff
  • Diana Zlatanova
  • Dime Melovski
  • Djuro Huber
  • Elena Tsingarska-sedefcheva
  • Eric Marboutin
  • Felix Knauer
  • Ferdinand Bego
  • Francesca Marucco
  • Francisco Álvares
  • Fridolin Zimmermann
  • Georg Rauer
  • Gesa Kluth
  • Guillaume Chapron
  • Guillermo Palomero
  • Henrik Andrén
  • Henrik Brøseth
  • Hubert Potočnik
  • Ilka Reinhardt
  • Ilpo Kojola
  • Ivan Kos
  • Jakub Kubala
  • Janis Ozolins
  • Jasna Jeremić
  • Jens Persson
  • John D. C. Linnell
  • John Odden
  • Jon E. Swenson
  • Josip Kusak
  • José Vicente López-bao
  • Juan Carlos Blanco
  • Katja Holmala
  • Klemen Jerina
  • Kujtim Mersini
  • Linas Balčiauskas
  • Luděk Bufka
  • Luigi Boitani
  • László Szemethy
  • Manfred Wölfl
  • Manuela Von Arx
  • Martin Váňa
  • Michal Adamec
  • Miha Krofel
  • Milan Paunović
  • Miroslav Kutal
  • Ole Anders
  • Olof Liberg
  • Ovidiu Ionescu
  • Paolo Ciucci
  • Peep Männil
  • Petra Kaczensky
  • Petter Wabakken
  • Pierre-yves Quenette
  • Péter Bedő
  • Raimonda Bunikyte
  • Ralph Manz
  • Rauno Veeroja
  • Robert W. Mysłajek
  • Robin Rigg
  • Sabina Nowak
  • Saša Kunovac
  • Sybille Wölfl
  • Thomas Engleder
  • Tomaž Skrbinšek
  • Urs Breitenmoser
  • Vaidas Balys
  • Valeria Salvatori
  • Yorgos Iliopoulos
  • Yorgos Mertzanis

Organizations

  • Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute
  • Forest Research Institute
  • Hedmark University College
  • Mendel University in Brno
  • Ministry of Environment
  • Natural History Museum, London
  • Nature Research Centre
  • Norwegian University of Life Sciences
  • Sapienza University of Rome
  • Sofia University
  • State Institute for Nature Protection
  • Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
  • Transilvania University of Brașov
  • University of Bern
  • University of Göttingen
  • University of Ljubljana
  • University of Oviedo
  • University of Porto
  • University of Sarajevo
  • University of Tirana
  • University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna
  • University of Warsaw
  • University of Zagreb

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Aquatic Ecology
  • East Asian Political and Security Studies within the Soviet Union
  • Space/Atmospheric Physics.