Wolves return to Europe: what to do about them is a people problem
Jan 4, 2024
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The podcast features Hanna Pettersson, a wolf expert, and Jack Marley, an environment editor. They discuss the conflict between farmers and conservationists due to the increasing wolf population in Europe. Topics include the impact on livestock, the need for coexistence, and the political implications. The podcast also explores wolf interactions in Spain and the challenges of managing wolf populations. The importance of conservation science and sustainable approaches to wolf restoration is emphasized.
The increasing population of wolves in Europe has led to conflicts between farmers and conservationists due to the killing of tens of thousands of livestock each year, highlighting the need to reconsider their protection status.
Effective management plans, participatory platforms, and financial support are necessary to facilitate coexistence between humans and wolves in areas where wolves have returned, requiring preparation and strategic measures.
Deep dives
Wolves making a comeback across Europe
Wolves are returning to Europe, including regions of Belgium, after being absent for over 100 years. However, their increasing population has led to conflicts between farmers and conservationists due to the killing of tens of thousands of livestock each year. The interactions between wolves and humans are becoming more frequent, making it necessary to reconsider the protection status of wolves in the European Union.
The promise of rewilding and the allure of wolves
Rewilding is a process that allows ecosystems to regenerate naturally, and it is seen as a solution to environmental challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss. Wolves, in particular, symbolize the return of nature, and their resurgence in Europe is seen as an exciting opportunity for rewilding. Wolves evoke a sense of wildness and represent a vibrant ecosystem. However, their presence also raises concerns for livestock farmers, while others are passionate about protecting them.
Coexistence and challenges of living with wolves
A social scientist, Hannah Pittison, has studied the interaction between wolves and humans in Spain. In Sanabria la Caraeda, where wolves have always been present, coexistence works well due to the local herders' strategies to protect their livestock with measures like livestock guardian dogs. However, in other areas where wolves have returned, conflicts arise due to different factors such as the difficulty in protecting livestock and conflicts with tourism. Effective management plans, participatory platforms, and financial support are necessary to facilitate coexistence and prepare regions anticipating the return of wolves.
Wolves are making a comeback across Europe. As their populations grow, 65,000 livestock are killed each year by wolves. Now, moves are underway to change the protection status of the wolf in the European Union. In this episode we speak to a social scientist researching the best ways for humans and wolves to coexist.
Featuring Hanna Pettersson, a postdoctoral research associate at the Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity at the University of York in the UK and Jack Marley, environment and energy editor at The Conversation in the UK.
This episode was written and produced by Katie Flood with production assistance from Mend Mariwany. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. The executive producer is Gemma Ware. Full credits available here. A transcript will be available shortly.
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