A Global Perspective on Large Carnivore Conservation

Abstract

The recent reintroduction of the gray wolf (Canis lupus) to Yellowstone signifies a constructive change, but the overall record in the United States on large carnivore conservation remains poor. Many developing countries are determined to do a better job of conserving predators, including their critical habitat and prey populations. We describe current efforts to protect tigers (Panther tigris), jaguars (Panthera onca), and large‐scale forest habitat in Asia, Central America, and Africa. These initiatives take a comprehensive approach that includes biological field research, the identification of local human interests, and a growing recognition of the need for cooperation across political lines. Though often supported by U.S. technical assistance, this international experience could be used better to inform and improve carnivore conservation efforts in North America. Failure to improve our domestic performance or to fully appreciate the contributions of far less developed countries could weaken global efforts to maintain and restore populations of large carnivores.

Global large carnivore conservation and international law

“…As Linnell and Boitani (2012) reflect, 'it is only a few decades since wolves changed their official status from vermin to conservation icons [and therefore] not surprising that the process takes time and is stormy'. Naturally, the European experience cannot be straightforwardly transplanted to other regions, given the varying ecological, political, institutional and socio-economic contexts of each region (Weber and Rabinowitz 1996). This caveat aside, the approach outlined in the Carnivore Guidelines-particularly with a view to its comprehensiveness, level of detail and intergovernmental endorsement-provides an interesting blueprint of what transboundary cooperation for large carnivore populations could look like.…”

Evidence-based conservation: predator-proof bomas protect livestock and lions

“…Large terrestrial predators worldwide suffer similar problems (Clark et al 1996;Weber and Rabinowitz 1996;Gittleman et al 2001;Ray et al 2005), risking local extirpation where they come into conflict with human communities (Gittleman et al 2001). African lions are typical.…”

Reintroduction of Top‐Order Predators: Using Science to Restore One of the Drivers of Biodiversity

“…This inherent scarcity lends itself to diffi culty and insecurity in conservation efforts (Weber & Rabinowitz, 1996), as small declines in already small populations can set into motion unpredictable and uncontrollable stochastic forces as part of the small-population paradigm (Caughley, 1994). …”

“…Throughout this book, we defi ne reintroduction as an attempt to establish a species within its historical range but where it has since been extirpated, and translocation as the deliberate movement of wild individuals between parts of their extant range (IUCN, 1998). Although top-order predators have declined globally (Weber & Rabinowitz, 1996), they are still amongst the most frequently reintroduced group of organisms (Seddon et al, 2005). There are multiple reasons for this, including assisting with a species' conservation (Hayward et al, 2007a), the degree of knowledge about these charismatic species, the restoration of ecosystem functioning (Terborgh et al, 1999;Sinclair et al, 2003), the fi nancial benefi ts of their presence in ecotourism ventures (Lindsey et al, 2005, and this volume), or that they were the fi rst and only species to have been made locally extinct.…”

“…It is universally recommended that continuing, long-term monitoring should occur after reintroductions have taken place to ensure continued population growth or stability (Mills, 1991;Weber & Rabinowitz, 1996;Hunter, 1998;Breitenmoser et al, 2001;Hofmeyr et al, 2003;Moehrenschlager & Somers, 2004;Gusset, this volume). Furthermore, on-going management is also likely to be necessary to ensure survival of reintroduced stock, manage their increases or avoid genetic and other stochastic problems (Frankham, this volume; Gusset, this volume).…”