23 May 2019 – Exchange of reliable data and transfer of know-how across borders are key to managing coexistence with wolves, bears, lynxes & co.
Today WWF and its partners publish a report that analyses the different perspectives of people living and working with large carnivores across Europe. The report provides insights from several round table workshops that have brought together diverse stakeholder groups across 14 countries to discuss the challenges and solutions of sharing one environment with large carnivores. Farmers, foresters, hunters, conservationists, researchers, representatives from public authorities, politicians and others have identified solutions together to improve conservation management practices and to reduce the potential for economic losses. Based on these findings, the report makes a series of recommendations that could improve human-large carnivore coexistence.
Stakeholders across all focus areas were mainly concerned about the lack of timely, reliable, and trusted information regarding large carnivores–particularly wolves, about a perceived lack of leadership by government authorities, about the economic impacts of livestock losses, and the expense of obtaining and managing tools needed to prevent these losses. Concerns were also raised about media coverage of large carnivores compounded by the perception that this is often sensationalistic, prone to errors of fact, and tends to focus on extreme positions that polarize discussions.
Feedback clearly indicated that better information on large carnivores is essential across Europe. Stakeholders identified the need for platforms or forums to structure and improve the exchange of large carnivore management information among all interested parties. Additionally, stakeholders in all focus areas indicated that economic support to cover the costs of adopting prevention tools needs to be part of the solution, along with introducing compensation systems for livestock losses and improving the efficiency of those already in existence. In summary the main recommendations given are threefold and include improving large carnivore management by using the best available science across all countries, standardizing data and reporting protocols, sharing successful approaches, sharingtools in prevention and mitigation of conflicts and improving damage prevention and compensation systems. This needs to go along with enhancing governance by developing robust stakeholder platforms to improve collaboration, trust building and the exchange of reliable information among all stakeholders and improving communications by providing journalists with reliable sources of data and credible points of contact with various interest groups that provide accurate information an unbiased messaging. "Wolves, bears, lynxes and wolverines are making a tremendous comeback and are part of the European identity. Where people and large carnivores share the same landscapes, things might change. However, together with our project partners we are convinced that coexistence is possible if we are open to learning from each other and try to adapt to the new situation," emphasizes Moritz Klose, EuroLargeCarnivores Project Lead at WWF Germany, with reference to the report and the often heated discussions on this topic.
About the project
The LIFE EuroLargeCarnivores project is funded by the EU and aims to provide a platform for the exchange of best practice in the area of human-large carnivore coexistence among various stakeholders in the European Union. More than 16 countries cooperate and share knowledge and information across borders. This knowledge covers everything from different approaches to managing the social, economic and ecological challenges that come along with wolves, bears, lynxes and wolverines, to practical solutions such as livestock protection.
About the report
The “European Perspectives on Coexistence with Large Carnivores” report captures the perspectives of different stakeholders, the relationships among them and the types of challenges and solutions they identified. An extensive stakeholder engagement process was designed that used surveys and facilitated workshops across 14 countries and within 5 major focus areas of the project: the Alpine Region (Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Slovenia, Croatia), the Central European Region (Germany, Poland), the Carpathian Region (Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine, Hungary), the Iberian Region (Portugal, Spain), and the Fenno-Scandinavian Region (Finland, Norway). This report provides the initial findings from this engagement and summarizes regional European perspectives about large carnivore management. It describes challenges and solutions at the regional level that have been identified in 2018 to improve conservation management practices and to reduce the potential for economic losses. It also makes a series of recommendations that could improve human-large carnivore coexistence.
Hungary – Carpathian Region
Stakeholder outreach information
The EuroLargeCarnivores project in Hungary is focused on conflict with wolves in the North Hungarian Mountains where livestock farming is com-
mon. The stakeholder workshop took place at Répáshuta, Hungary on the 14 June 2018. Forty-three people out of 47 invited participated in the work-
shop.
Identified stakeholders
Large carnivores in Hungary are strictly protected species. The national government (Ministry of Agriculture) is responsible for providing data to
the EU and monitoring (which is not regular, and not systematized among the national parks) is carried out by the national parks. Three NPs (Duna-Ip-
oly, Bükk and Aggtelek) deal with large carnivore-related data collection.
Large carnivores in Hungary are strictly protected species. The national government (Ministry of Agriculture) is responsible for providing data to
the EU and monitoring (which is not regular, and not systematized among the national parks) is carried out by the national parks. Three NPs (Duna-Ip-
oly, Bükk and Aggtelek) deal with large carnivore-related data collection.
At the regional level, the most dominant interest groups on this issue are nature conservationists (e.g. national parks, WWF Hungary, Kuvasz Guard
Initiative), hunters (hunting associations and State Forestries), and farmers (sheep breeders).
Identified challenges
One of the greatest challenges that stakeholders in Hungary identified is the lack of trust and or cooperation among and within stakeholder groups.
Initiative), hunters (hunting associations and State Forestries), and farmers (sheep breeders).
Identified challenges
One of the greatest challenges that stakeholders in Hungary identified is the lack of trust and or cooperation among and within stakeholder groups.
Several hunters confirmed that there is a lack of interdepartmental cooperation and information exchange when it comes to wolf conservation. Some
stakeholders expressed concern that there is a conflict of interest among ministries and stakeholders and no joint goal or vision for wolf conservation.
At this point in time there is no contact or communication between local hunters and researchers to exchange information on wolf occurrence or re-
search findings. Some stakeholders expressed frustrations that data collected by government agencies are not reliable or shared.
At this point in time there is no contact or communication between local hunters and researchers to exchange information on wolf occurrence or re-
search findings. Some stakeholders expressed frustrations that data collected by government agencies are not reliable or shared.
Livestock owners did not express problems with wolves but rather the “tangled” system of prevention and compensation programs in Hungary. At this
point in time, Hungary does not have a compensation system, but rather 68 EuroLargeCarivores Project only supports prevention measures. This is not satisfying to livestock own-
ers and causes anxiety about the return of the wolf.
ers and causes anxiety about the return of the wolf.
One issue which is not explicitly relevant to wolf conservation but exemplary of the lack of communication among stakeholders was a conflict over
grazing and hunting at the same time and location (e.g. dawn grazing) that is causing current conflicts among them.
A lack of clear communication about wolf conservation plans seems to have started rumors in local communities that “tame” animals are being moved
to rural communities but no reintroduction or translocation program is on-going in Hungary according to government stakeholders.
A lack of clear communication about wolf conservation plans seems to have started rumors in local communities that “tame” animals are being moved
to rural communities but no reintroduction or translocation program is on-going in Hungary according to government stakeholders.
Identified solutions
Stakeholders in Hungary felt that a structured platform for information exchange and cooperation was needed to improve large carnivore conser-
vation and management. Within such a platform, stakeholders suggested that a participatory approach to carnivore population and conflict moni-
toring could be developed and could provide an inclusive way for all stakeholders to participate. Hunters were especially interested in wanting to be
more involved in research and monitoring.
vation and management. Within such a platform, stakeholders suggested that a participatory approach to carnivore population and conflict moni-
toring could be developed and could provide an inclusive way for all stakeholders to participate. Hunters were especially interested in wanting to be
more involved in research and monitoring.
Participants suggested that regular seminars on best management practices and experience from abroad on wolf conservation issues would be
welcomed.
welcomed.
Country summaries by focus areas 69 Relevant quotations from stakeholders
“We don’t have a problem with the wolf, we have a problem with the system. We need more compensation.” – Livestock breeder
“I would like to express my gratitude to the nature conservationist who came and listened to me, because together we
achieve more, we are not enemies.” – Hunter
achieve more, we are not enemies.” – Hunter