Social Change and the Future of Carnivore Conservation in Post-Industrial Societies

Evidence indicates we are now in the midst of a sixth mass extinction—a crisis brought about largely by human activities. Indeed, numerous studies point to human populations and our activities as the primary causes of... [ view full abstract ]

Evidence indicates we are now in the midst of a sixth mass extinction—a crisis brought about largely by human activities. Indeed, numerous studies point to human populations and our activities as the primary causes of biodiversity loss and extinction risk for a wide variety of fauna. A well-known example is human persecution of large, terrestrial carnivores, which led to rapid declines for many carnivore species.  Human persecution of carnivores occurs globally, has resulted in localized eradications of numerous species, and more recently, has been facilitated by technological innovations that make wildlife easier to find and kill.  Given this backdrop, it is perhaps not surprising that modernization of human societies is often viewed negatively by the conservation community. 

Nevertheless, increasing evidence indicates that modernization may also be responsible for a host of social and ecological changes that can actually facilitate conservation of large mammals, including carnivores.  Perhaps the most well-known of these changes are global shifts in human values that have been associated with greater support for environmentally protective policies, and ideologies that reflect greater care and compassion of non-human organisms.  Moreover, evidence indicates that some carnivore species are showing remarkable behavioral plasticity—adapting their behavior to minimize risks when living proximate to human populations.

This symposium will bring together a diverse group of scholars who have examined human-carnivore interactions and relationships across Europe and North America.  Our aims are to show: (i) how modernization is changing human perception and behavior, (ii) how carnivores are adapting to humans in human-dominated landscapes, (iii) how these changes may affect conservation efforts in the future.