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Governing with nature: a European perspective on putting rewilding principles into practice.

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Updated: May 22, 2025

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De-extinction beyond species: Restoring ecosystem functionality through large herbivore rewilding.

Paul R Jepson1

  • 1PJ Consulting, Musselburgh, East Lothian, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

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|March 13, 2025
PubMed
Summary

Rewilding uses de-domesticated cattle and horses to restore ecosystem functions, mimicking extinct species. This approach prioritizes ecological roles over genetic purity for effective nature-based solutions.

Keywords:
de-extinctionecosystem functionecosystem servicesethics and policymegafauna

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Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Conservation Biology
  • Restoration Ecology

Background:

  • Human activities over millennia have led to the loss of species and their ecological roles.
  • Ecosystem restoration efforts are increasingly focused on rewilding, emphasizing the restoration of natural processes.
  • Large herbivores played crucial roles in shaping European ecosystems before their decline.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose rewilding as a novel approach to ecosystem restoration.
  • To advocate for the de-domestication of cattle and horses as functional analogues for extinct species.
  • To highlight the importance of restoring ecological roles and functions in conservation.

Main Methods:

  • Conceptual perspective on rewilding and de-domestication.
  • Analysis of the ecological roles of large herbivores.
  • Policy rationale for nature-based solutions through functional restoration.

Main Results:

  • De-domestication of cattle and horses can restore lost ecological functions and 'life-spheres'.
  • Focusing on functional effects provides a policy rationale for rewilding efforts.
  • A pragmatic approach prioritizing ecosystem functions over genetic purity is essential for scalability.

Conclusions:

  • Rewilding, through de-domesticated large herbivores, offers a pathway to restore self-willed ecosystems.
  • Creating a new category of 'ecosystem engineer' livestock is more effective than seeking wild status.
  • De-extinct species can drive ecosystem recovery and open new avenues in ecological theory and extinction discourse.