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Related Experiment Videos

Rewilding the world's large carnivores.

Christopher Wolf1, William J Ripple1

  • 1Global Trophic Cascades Program, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA.

Royal Society Open Science
|April 17, 2018
PubMed
Summary

Rewilding, or reintroducing species, can help endangered large carnivores recover. A global analysis identified 130 protected areas and 150 low-human-impact regions suitable for carnivore reintroduction and conservation efforts.

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Area of Science:

  • Conservation Biology
  • Ecology
  • Wildlife Management

Background:

  • Terrestrial large carnivores are highly endangered, facing significant range contractions and extinction risks.
  • Loss of carnivore guilds disrupts ecosystem function due to reduced top-down ecological regulation.
  • Rewilding, including species reintroduction, is a key conservation strategy for restoring ecological balance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To conduct a global analysis of potential areas for large carnivore reintroduction.
  • To identify suitable protected areas and low human footprint regions for carnivore conservation.
  • To assess the feasibility of rewilding projects for ecological restoration and species survival.

Main Methods:

  • Analyzed protected areas where large carnivore species have been extirpated.
Keywords:
carnivore guildecological effectivenessgeographical rangeintact guildpredatorreintroduction

Related Experiment Videos

  • Evaluated protected area size, protection levels, human impact, and prey availability.
  • Utilized the 'last of the wild' approach to identify contiguous low human footprint regions within former carnivore ranges.

    • Main Results:

    • Identified 130 protected areas globally suitable for carnivore reintroduction, with notable sites in Mongolia, Canada, and Thailand.
    • Identified an additional 150 low human footprint regions for conservation, primarily in the USA, Russia, and Canada.
    • Results indicate significant global potential for carnivore rewilding initiatives.

    Conclusions:

    • Carnivore rewilding projects offer a viable strategy for conserving endangered large carnivores.
    • Reintroduction efforts can restore ecological regulation and provide substantial ecological and social benefits.
    • The identified areas provide critical opportunities for implementing effective carnivore conservation and rewilding.