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Chapron G, Kaczensky P, Linnell JDC, von Arx M, Huber D, Andrén H, López-Bao JV, Adamec M, Álvares F, Anders O, Balčiauskas L, Balys V, Bedő P, Bego F, Blanco JC, Breitenmoser U, Brøseth H, Bufka L, Bunikyte R, Ciucci P, Dutsov A, Engleder T, Fuxjäger C, Groff C, Holmala K, Hoxha B, Iliopoulos Y, Ionescu O, Jeremić J, Jerina K, Kluth G, Knauer F, Kojola I, Kos I, Krofel M, Kubala J, Kunovac S, Kusak J, Kutal M, Liberg O, Majić A, Männil P, Manz R, Marboutin E, Marucco F, Melovski D, Mersini K, Mertzanis Y, Mysłajek RW, Nowak S, Odden J, Ozolins J, Palomero G, Paunović M, Persson J, Potočnik H, Quenette PY, Rauer G, Reinhardt I, Rigg R, Ryser A, Salvatori V, Skrbinšek T, Stojanov A, Swenson JE, Szemethy L, Trajçe A, Tsingarska-Sedefcheva E, Váňa M, Veeroja R, Wabakken P, Wölfl M, Wölfl S, Zimmermann F, Zlatanova D, Boitani L. Recovery of large carnivores in Europe's modern human-dominated landscapes. Science 2015; 346:1517-9. [PMID: 25525247 DOI: 10.1126/science.1257553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 808] [Impact Index Per Article: 89.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Chapron
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 73091 Riddarhyttan, Sweden.
| | - Petra Kaczensky
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Savoyenstrasse 1, 1160 Vienna, Austria
| | - John D C Linnell
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Post Office Box 5685 Sluppen, 7485 Trondheim, Norway
| | | | - Djuro Huber
- Biology Department of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Heinzelova 55, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Henrik Andrén
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 73091 Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | - José Vicente López-Bao
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 73091 Riddarhyttan, Sweden. Research Unit of Biodiversity (UO/CSIC/PA), Oviedo University, 33600 Mieres, Spain
| | - Michal Adamec
- State Nature Conservancy of Slovak Republic, Tajovskeho 28B, 974 01 Banská Bystrica, Slovakia
| | - Francisco Álvares
- CIBIO/InBio, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
| | - Ole Anders
- Harz Nationalpark, Lindenallee 35, 38855 Wernigerode, Germany
| | | | - Vaidas Balys
- Association for Nature Conservation "Baltijos vilkas," Visoriu 6A-54, 08300 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Péter Bedő
- Slovak Wildlife Society, Post Office Box 72, 03301 Liptovsky Hradok, Slovakia
| | - Ferdinand Bego
- Biology Department of the Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Tirana, Boulevard Zog I, Tirana, Albania
| | - Juan Carlos Blanco
- Wolf Project, Consultores en Biología de la Conservación, Calle Manuela Malasana 24, 28004 Madrid, Spain
| | - Urs Breitenmoser
- KORA, Thunstrasse 31, 3074 Muri bei Bern, Switzerland. Centre for Fish and Wildlife Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 122, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Henrik Brøseth
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Post Office Box 5685 Sluppen, 7485 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Luděk Bufka
- Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 21 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Raimonda Bunikyte
- Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania, Jakšto 4/9, 01105 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Paolo Ciucci
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies, University of Rome "La Sapienza," Viale dell'Università 32, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Alexander Dutsov
- Balkani Wildlife Society, Boulevard Dragan Tzankov 8, 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Thomas Engleder
- Lynx Project Austria Northwest, Linzerstrasse 14, 4170 Haslach/Mühl, Austria
| | - Christian Fuxjäger
- Nationalpark Kalkalpen, Nationalpark Zentrum Molln, Nationalpark Allee 1, 4591 Molln, Austria
| | - Claudio Groff
- Provincia Autonoma di Trento - Servizio Foreste e Fauna, Via Trener no. 3, 38100 Trento, Italy
| | - Katja Holmala
- Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute, Viikinkaari 4, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Bledi Hoxha
- Protection and Preservation of Natural Environment in Albania, Rruga Vangjush Furxhi 16/1/10, Tirana, Albania
| | - Yorgos Iliopoulos
- Callisto Wildlife and Nature Conservation Society, Mitropoleos 123, 54621 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Ovidiu Ionescu
- Faculty of Silviculture and Forest Engineering, Department of Silviculture, Transilvania University, 1 Beethoven Lane, 500123 Brașov, Romania. Forest Research Institute (ICAS) Bulevardul Eroilor Number 128, Voluntari, Ilfov, 077190 Romania
| | - Jasna Jeremić
- State Institute for Nature Protection, Trg Mažuranića 5, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Klemen Jerina
- University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Gesa Kluth
- LUPUS - German Institute for Wolf Mnitoring and Research, Dorfstrasse 20, 02979 Spreewitz, Germany
| | - Felix Knauer
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Savoyenstrasse 1, 1160 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ilpo Kojola
- Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute, Oulu Game and Fisheries Research, Tutkijantie 2E, 90570 Oulu, Finland
| | - Ivan Kos
- University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Miha Krofel
- University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Jakub Kubala
- Department of Forest Protection and Game Management, Faculty of Forestry, Technical University of Zvolen, T.G. Masaryka 20, 960 53 Zvolen, Slovakia
| | - Saša Kunovac
- Faculty of Forestry, University of Sarajevo, Zagrebačka 20, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Josip Kusak
- Biology Department of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Heinzelova 55, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Miroslav Kutal
- Department of Forest Protection and Wildlife Management, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 3, 61300 Brno, Czech Republic. Friends of the Earth Czech Republic, Olomouc Branch, Dolní Náměstí 38, 77900 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Olof Liberg
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 73091 Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | - Aleksandra Majić
- University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Peep Männil
- Estonian Environment Agency, Rõõmu tee 2, 51013 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Ralph Manz
- KORA, Thunstrasse 31, 3074 Muri bei Bern, Switzerland
| | - Eric Marboutin
- Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage, ZI Mayencin, 5 Allée de Béthléem, 38610 Gières, France
| | - Francesca Marucco
- Centro Gestione e Conservazione Grandi Carnivori, Piazza Regina Elena 30, Valdieri 12010, Italy
| | - Dime Melovski
- Macedonian Ecological Society, Arhimedova 5, Skopje 1000, FYR Macedonia. Department of Wildlife Sciences, Georg-August University, Büsgenweg 3, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Kujtim Mersini
- National Veterinary Epidemiology Unit, Food Safety and Veterinary Institute, Rruga Aleksandër Moisiu 10 Tirana, Albania
| | - Yorgos Mertzanis
- Callisto Wildlife and Nature Conservation Society, Mitropoleos 123, 54621 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Robert W Mysłajek
- Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Pawińskiego 5a, 02-106 Warszawa, Poland
| | - Sabina Nowak
- Association for Nature "Wolf," Twardorzeczka 229, 34-324 Lipowa, Poland
| | - John Odden
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Post Office Box 5685 Sluppen, 7485 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Janis Ozolins
- Latvian State Forest Research Institute "Silava," Rīgas Iela 111, Salaspils, 2169 Latvia
| | | | - Milan Paunović
- Natural History Museum, Njegoseva 51, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Jens Persson
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 73091 Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | - Hubert Potočnik
- University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Pierre-Yves Quenette
- ONCFS-CNERA PAD, Equipe Ours, Chef de Projet, Impasse de la Chapelle, 31800 Villeneuve de Rivière, France
| | - Georg Rauer
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Savoyenstrasse 1, 1160 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ilka Reinhardt
- LUPUS - German Institute for Wolf Mnitoring and Research, Dorfstrasse 20, 02979 Spreewitz, Germany
| | - Robin Rigg
- Slovak Wildlife Society, Post Office Box 72, 03301 Liptovsky Hradok, Slovakia
| | - Andreas Ryser
- KORA, Thunstrasse 31, 3074 Muri bei Bern, Switzerland
| | - Valeria Salvatori
- Istituto di Ecologia Applicata, Via B. Eustachio 10, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Tomaž Skrbinšek
- University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | - Jon E Swenson
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Post Office Box 5685 Sluppen, 7485 Trondheim, Norway. Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Postbox 5003, 1432 Ås, Norway
| | - László Szemethy
- St. István Unversity Institute for Wildlife Conservation, Páter Károly 1, 2103 Gödöllő, Hungary
| | - Aleksandër Trajçe
- Protection and Preservation of Natural Environment in Albania, Rruga Vangjush Furxhi 16/1/10, Tirana, Albania
| | | | - Martin Váňa
- Friends of the Earth Czech Republic, Olomouc Branch, Dolní Náměstí 38, 77900 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Rauno Veeroja
- Estonian Environment Agency, Rõõmu tee 2, 51013 Tartu, Estonia
| | | | - Manfred Wölfl
- Bavarian Agency of Environment, Hans-Högn-Strasse 12, 95030 Hof/Saale, Germany
| | - Sybille Wölfl
- Lynx Project Bavaria, Trailling 1a, 93462 Lam, Germany
| | | | - Diana Zlatanova
- Department of Zoology and Anthropology, Faculty of Biology/Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski," Boulevard Dragan Tzankov 8, 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Luigi Boitani
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies, University of Rome "La Sapienza," Viale dell'Università 32, 00185 Roma, Italy
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