Unveiling human–wildlife interactions in the context of livestock grazing abandonment and the return of large carnivores, ungulates and vultures: A stakeholder perspective

Abstract

Pastoral practices remain a widespread economic activity across European mountain regions. However, the viability of this activity may be threatened by the recovery of large wild vertebrates associated with passive rewilding, leading to the so‐called human–wildlife conflicts. Reconciling the return of large wild vertebrates and pastoral practices is therefore a major challenge for the European Union (EU), as it poses political, socio‐economic and conservation challenges. We analyse the social dimension of the recovery of large carnivores, ungulates and strict avian scavengers, through a multi‐stakeholder approach in two rural territories in central Spain exposed to different degrees of land abandonment. Based on in‐depth interviews, we identify potential conflicts and disagreements between the different stakeholders, search for strategies to promote the coexistence of large wild vertebrates and extensive grazing systems and seek emergent discourses for reconciling and boosting agrarian production and biodiversity conservation. Our findings show a consensus among stakeholders on the general increase and recovery of large wild vertebrate populations. We then collected divergent positions on what this recovery means for social groups, showing opposing views between urban and rural people; while conservationists considered this increase positively, land users generally—but not always—perceived this recovery as a threat to their livelihoods. We identified disagreements within social groups and divergent positions displayed between cattle farmers and sheep and goat farmers. The latter showed forms of management closer to agroecological visions, thus allowing coexistence. The coexistence of pastoral practices and wild vertebrates involves navigating a complex interplay of ecological, social and economic factors. The negative impacts of wildlife on livestock can be minimized, but only through the collective implementation of measures by all parties. Furthermore, the recognition and valuation of pastoral practices and the empowerment of land users may facilitate coexistence. Mutual recognition and participation of local stakeholders seems an unavoidable step in developing more collaborative approaches that respect the needs and aspirations of rural communities while contributing to the EU's restoration and conservation goals. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.