Incidents of wolf attacks on cattle in Switzerland and Spain, along with a bear attack in Italy that claimed the life of a mountain runner, underscore a pressing issue: the coexistence of humans and large carnivores. A participatory model developed by ETH Zurich researcher Paula Mayer aims to facilitate this coexistence, using the Apennine brown bear in Italy as a case study.
Coexistence with wildlife is emerging as a central challenge across Europe as large carnivore populations rebound in landscapes heavily shaped by human activity. By modeling how people and bears share space, researchers can identify priority areas and practical measures to support harmonious coexistence.
The drawback of many existing models is their narrow focus on either human risks or carnivore risks, without capturing the full spectrum of interactions.
In a study led by Mayer, a process-oriented participatory model integrates local community perceptions, expert assessments, and spatial data. This approach is applied to a case study aimed at balancing human interests with the survival of the Apennine brown bear (Ursus arctos marsicanus), a population in danger of extinction with only about 70 individuals remaining.
“With better protection, education, and measures to prevent damage, this population has endured and even risen modestly in recent times,” says Peter Rüegg, a biologist and communicator at the Federal Polytechnic School (ETH Zurich).
Yet bears still face dangers from vehicles, and some are killed by traps or poisoned baits placed by truffle collectors for their sniffer dogs. People in the region remain wary of bears, and sympathy for them varies widely.
spread of misinformation
To address this, Mayer proposed a cohabitation model for the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise national park region that can be visualized on a map.
Existing bear-habitat data, land-use information, and local and expert knowledge were synthesized into a probabilistic framework. This model estimates how tolerant humans are toward bears and the associated risk of harm to bears from human activities.
The map is designed to guide local decision-makers, conservationists, farmers, and tourism professionals in prioritizing actions that promote coexistence between people and bears.
“This project aims to view the landscape rationally and determine where humans and large carnivores can live together successfully and where tensions persist,” Mayer explains.
The researchers found that attitudes toward bears vary by municipality: some communities are broadly supportive, while others nearby harbor strong opposition. Mayer notes that such divisions often stem from individual opinion leaders spreading misinformation.
Coexistence also hinges on economic context. In municipalities relying on agriculture, people may feel vulnerable if livestock losses occur; in tourism-driven areas, bears can be a draw. Tourism within the Abruzzo national park is witnessing a boom, underscoring how economic factors shape attitudes toward wildlife.
Urban-rural conflict
The rural-urban divide influences how protection measures are received. In rural towns, protective efforts may lag, and a single livestock loss can threaten livelihoods. Mayer contends that the broader issue is less about wildlife and more about human relationships and control—wild animals often carry symbolic weight rather than being seen as fellow inhabitants of the landscape.
The central question is which measures are needed for effective coexistence. A key finding from the negotiations is a desire for faster, less bureaucratic damage-compensation processes, echoing calls heard in Spain as well.
“Some residents feel legacy promises do not match the reality of compensation for bear-related damages,” Mayer observes.
The map generated by Mayer and her team highlights zones where human-bear coexistence is feasible: areas with high human tolerance and favorable bear living conditions. It also marks regions where the conditions are more challenging.
The model is adaptable to other regions, species, and new data as it becomes available. The researchers emphasize that their approach can support the targeted adoption of measures to improve coexistence between humans and large carnivores on a site-by-site basis. This work appears in the Journal of Nature Conservation, published by Science Direct, and is drawn from ongoing collaborations and datasets collected from diverse sources and local stakeholders. (Mayer et al., 2023)
References for the study: ScienceDirect journal entry: S1617138123000584.
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