Large Carnivore Conservation

Book excerpt: Strategies for protecting wolves, mountain lions, and more—by taking the human species into account as well: “Very valuable.”—Journal of Wildlife Management Drawing on six case studies of wolf, grizzly bear, and mountain lion conservation in habitats stretching from the Yukon to Arizona, Large Carnivore Conservation argues that conserving and coexisting with large carnivores is as much a problem of people and governance—of reconciling diverse and sometimes conflicting values, perspectives, and organizations, and of effective decision making in the public sphere—as it is a problem of animal ecology and behavior. By adopting an integrative approach, editors Susan G. Clark and Murray B. Rutherford seek to examine and understand the interrelated development of conservation science, law, and policy, as well as how these forces play out in courts, other public institutions, and the field. In combining real-world examples with discussions of conservation and policy theory, Large Carnivore Conservation not only explains how traditional management approaches have failed to meet the needs of all parties, but also highlights examples of innovative, successful strategies and provides practical recommendations for improving future conservation efforts. “Building on decades of work, this book integrates biological knowledge with human dimensions study and charts a course for coexistence with large carnivores.”—Douglas W. Smith, Senior Wildlife Biologist, Yellowstone National Park