Case study: Coexistence between human and wildlife in Europe?!

Conservation is a mission-driven research discipline; so the purpose of conservation is dynamic, from conservation of the nature to the coexistence between human and nature (Mace, 2014). Historical experience showed it is very difficult for human and carnivores to co-existe as human carnivore conflicts are existing worldwild, for example, in Southeast Asia (Johnson et al, 2006), South Asia (Dar et al., 2009), Africa (Gusset et al., 2009). Yet recently a study showed a co-existence case study between human and carnivores. This study gives confidence to people that human and carnivores can coexist. Before the coexistence model, large mammals espacially carnivores are believed to be only possible to live in protection zone or wilderness, as a result of unfavorable management policy in city area (Linnell et al., 2006).


This research use data collected from 76 authors around 26 European countries, the main findings discovered that brown bears (Ursus arctos) now live in 22 European countries, and most of the ten main groups are increasing in numbers; Eurasian lynx (lynx lynx) spread in 23 European countries and have a population of 9,000; gray wolves (Canis lupus) now are found in Norway, Sweden and Finland and its population is also increasing (Chapron et al., 2014). The reasons for this success are summarised as protective legislation, supportive public opinion, and extensive practice (Chapron et al., 2014), which is consistent with adaptive management based on a better undersatnding of ecosystem functions (Treves and Karanth, 2003).

Interestingly, from the figure, there is a relatively isolated group of brown bears and gray wolfs in north-western Spain. There is no much information on the website analyzing the reasons for such phenomena. An online nature archive has documented the reasons to strong regulation, rising public awareness, and return of land to wolves because of urbanisation. Kuznet curve (Stern et al., 1996) indicated that there is turning point in economic development that Environmental degradation will start to reverse and the overall environmental condition will turn better.

There might be a similar curve between biodiversity degradation and economic development/urbanisation. There is great contemporary human pressure on biodiversity and conservation task is challenging with full difficulties. The turning point would not only rely on economic development, public awareness, strong regulation and enforcement also have important role to play.