The European Commission has launched the 'EU Platform on Coexistence between People and Large Carnivores,' an initiative meant to bring together farmers, conservationists, hunters, landowners and scientists to exchange best practices and to promote dialogue on coexisting with Europe's five species of large carnivores.
10 June 2014: The European Commission has launched the ‘EU Platform on Coexistence between People and Large Carnivores,’ an initiative meant to bring together farmers, conservationists, hunters, landowners and scientists to exchange best practices and to promote dialogue on coexisting with Europe’s five species of large carnivores.
The focus of the Platform, according to EU Environment Commissioner Janez Potočnik, is to address the concerns of those living in the proximity of carnivorous species such as brown bear, wolf, fox, lynx and wolverine. The initiative comes at a time when many once threatened populations of large carnivores are stabilizing in the region, due in part to increasing protection and public awareness.
The Platform will facilitate exchange and promote ways to reduce human-carnivore conflicts, which will be publicized through a web-based resource center. Immediately following its official launch, the Platform will convene its first working session and adopt a terms of reference as well as a work plan. [EU Press Release] [EU Large Carnivore website] [International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) News] [Large Carnivore Initiative for Europe website]