Coexistence with large carnivores: the role of Protected Areas

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EUROPARC is constantly working to improve coexistence between people and large carnivores in and around Protected Areas.

In February, the EU Platform on Coexistence between People and Large Carnivores met to plan its actions for 2022. Soon the Platform will finalize and publish a new Toolkit for Establishing Regional Platforms on Coexistence between People and Large Carnivores based on the results of the last 3 years in creating and managing pilot experiences of regional platforms for the dialogue among different local stakeholders. We hope that this instrument would be useful for the Protected Areas that have to deal with conflicts between farmers, shepherds and local communities with wolves, bears, lynxes and wolverines.

EUROPARC on the Coexistance with Large Carnivores

EUROPARC is one of the co-founders of the EU Platform on Coexistence between People and Large Carnivores (*).

Back in November 2021, EUROPARC organized a participatory workshop, together with the EU Platform on Coexistence between People and Large Carnivores. This workshop aimed to better identify the needs and challenges Protected Areas and managing authorities are facing to implement processes and measures for coexistence.

For this a specific participatory session took place during the meeting, giving around 50 participants from 14 countries the chance to share concrete needs, challenges, perspectives and to propose solutions.

The workshop was also an opportunity to provide an update on progress made at EU level for the conservation of large carnivores, looking at policy developments, European platforms and project implementation, with an insight on new targets for the future and the role of Protected Areas.

We gave the chance to present and share some concrete case studies, looking at the role and experiences of Protected Areas in leading and promoting processes and measures for coexistence in their areas. We focused our attention on effective communication, participatory process, partnership building and damage prevention measures.

(*) The EU Platform on Coexistence between People and Large Carnivores brings together different interest groups with a common mission: “To promote ways and means to minimize, and wherever possible find solutions to, conflicts between human interests and the presence of large carnivore species, by exchanging knowledge and by working together in an open-ended, constructive and mutually respectful way”

Speakers on European policy updates and initiatives to strengthen coexistence

  • Marco Cipriani, European Commission, DG Environment, Nature Protection Unit
  • Katrina Marsden, Adelphi, EU Platform on Coexistence between People and Large Carnivores

Case studies

  • Support coexistence with large carnivores through partnerships. By Valeria Salvatori, Istituto di Ecologia Applicata, Italy.
  • Wolf/Human Coexistence. Research and Management in Maiella National Park. By Simone Angelucci & Antonio Antonucci, Majella National Park, Italy.
  • Human and Iberian Lynx conflict: the challenge of peaceful coexistence. By Guillermo Zamora, Junta de Andalucia, Spain.

What better way to tackle an issue than by coming together and opening the floor for discussion and brainstorming? In fact, we held a productive interactive group exercise to stimulate discussion.

The discussion was inspiring and fruitful and will be used by EUROPARC to inspire further actions and initiatives for coexistence in Protected Areas.

said Federico Minozzi, Managing Director at EUROPARC and workshop leader.

Workshop Report

To capture the value and outcomes of this workshop, we prepared a Workshop Report which summarizes the main aspects raised and discussed during the session and provides the opportunity to access all the presentations and recordings of the event.

Read the full summary and download the materials here!

To know more, visit:

EUROPARC Knowledge Hub – Large Carnivores