Europeans support large carnivore recovery while opposing both further population growth and hunting.

ABSTRACT: After centuries of persecution in Europe, large carnivores are now recovering. Whether this conservation success continues depends in part on public support. Here we show, using a survey of 10,000 respondents across European Union Member States, that while support for the recovery of wolves, bears and lynx remains strong, most respondents oppose both further population growth and hunting-particularly of wolves. Attitudes are remarkably consistent across rural and urban populations, and many respondents express no strong position, suggesting that large carnivores are less polarizing than often portrayed. The recent amendment to the Habitats Directive, which grants Member States greater flexibility to manage their wolf populations, appears broadly aligned with public opinion, as long as its

SUBMITTER: Chapron G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12789005 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature