What we have done!

2022

  • Reaction to the case of a bold wolf in the Hoge Veluwe National Park, Netherlands (Updated version 24:11:2022).
  • A new scientific paper clarifies the circumstances around the death of a tourist in northern Greece in 2017 that was initially claimed as being due to a wolf attack.
  • The LCIE prepare a new report on the current status of wolves in Europe upon a request from the Bern Convention (Council of Europe).
  • The LIFE WolfAlps project in cooperation with the LCIE produce guidelines on the "Non-consumptive Use of Wolves in Tourism".

2021

  • Clarifying inaccurate reporting associated with a bear attack on an elderly women in Asturias, Spain.
  • A new report updates our understanding of the potential risks that wolves pose for human safety, covering attacks, and reported attacks for the period 2002 to 2020.

2020

2019

2018

2017

  • The LCIE begin the process of updating the information on large carnivore numbers, distribution,conflicts and management practices for the periodic review of IUCN's redlists.

2016

  • The LCIE hold a seminar and a meeting at CIBIO's offices in Porto,  Portugal
  • Several of the members of the LCIE cooperated with international colleagues to draw attention to the threat to large carnivore conservation being posed by the sudden increase in border security fencing. The result was an article in the journal PLOS Biology

2015

2014

  • The IUCN, on behalf of LCIE and other relevant Specialist Groups, sign up to an European Commission sponsored stakeholder dialogue platform together with representatives of agricultural, reindeer herding, hunting, land owning and conservationsist interest groups.
  • LCIE sign an MoU with Rewilding Europe.
  • A paper on the status of large carnivores in Europe based on the work of the LCIE and other colleagues appears in the journal Science - see the article here.

2013

2012

  • The Bern Convention organizes a workshop on large carnivore conservation in Switzerland in May, 2012. The LCIE hold a workshop the following day.
  • The LCIE, through the Istituto di Ecologia Applicata, win a new contract from the European Commission to produce a number of reports summarizing the state of large carnivore conservation in Europe.

2011

  • The LCIE begin a process of reviewing the status and management of large carnivores across Europe.
  • The LCIE become involved in two policy debates with the European Commission concerning wolf hunting in Sweden and the future of bear hunting in Croatia upon their entry to the EU.

2010

  • The LCIE change their status to being an official Specialist Group within the IUCN's Species Survival Commission.
  • Meeting of the LCIE in Maritime Alps Natural Park, Italy in May.

2009

  • The exibition is displayed in the following locations.
    • Summer / Autumn 2009 - Kristiansand Zoo, Norway
    • Autumn 2008 / Winter 2009 - 8 Serbian cities, Belgrade (Gallery of Natural History Museum), Sremska Mitrovica (Museum of Srem), Bajina Bašta (Gallery of Tara National Park), Knjaževac (Museum of Knjaževac), Petrovac na Mlavi (Aula of High School Mladost), Boljevac (Centre of Culture), Žagubica (City Hall), Ćuprija (Museum Horreum Margi - Ravno)
    • Spring 2009 – Winter 2009 / 2010 - Hnuti DUHA Olomouc (Friends of the Earth Czech Republic), Travelling exhibition. In 2009 it has been displayed in the following 9 cities; Jihlava, Hodonin, Liberec, Hluboka nad Vltavou, Chomutov, Usti nad Labem, Vlasim, Holesov, Kasperske hory.
    • Spring 2009 – Winter 2009 / 2010 - Zoo Dvůr Králové, Czech Republic
    • Winter 2009 / 2010 - Zoo Ostrava, Czech Republic
    • Spring 2009 – Winter 2009 / 2010 - Parc zoologique d'Amiens Métropole, France
  • The LCIE support the European Assoication of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) in their European Carnivore Campaign which runs from August 2008 to September 2010. Some of the products are listed below;

2008

  • The LCIE prepare a range of information materials in connection with the population management guidelines. The European Commission creates a website featuring these products.
  • The Guidelines on Population Level Management of Large Carnivores are finalized at a pan-European conference in Slovenia and endorsed as best practice by the European Commission.
  • A flyer, a brochure [11MB] and an exhibition on large carnivore conservation entitled "Large Carnivore Conservation in Europe: the challenge and the opportunity" is prepared and displayed in;
    • June 2008 - Large Carnivore Conference. Postojna, Slovenia
    • September 2008 - European Association of Zoos and Aquaria Annual Meeting. Antwerp, Belgium

2007

2006

  • The LCIE comment on the proposed wolf management plans for Castilla y Leon in Spain and Finland.
  • The LCIE begin working on two contracts for the European Commission to develop "Guidelines for population level management plans for large carnivores" that will run until July 2007.
  • New website launched.
  • LCIE host a one day sympoisum on "Conserving large carnivore in European landscapes: the challenge and opportunity of coexistence" within the first European Congress of Conservation Biology held in Eger, Hungary in August 2006.

2005

  • Croatia publishes management plans for wolves, bears and lynx. The process behind these plans was based on a human-dimensions approached facilitated by Prof. Alistair Bath and the LCIE, and the LCIE help secure funding to initiate the process.
  • Core member Prof. Alistair Bath drafted a manual for the LCIE and the Large Herbivore Foundation (LHF) intitled “Human dimensions: a strategic tool for nature conservation: using examples from large carnivores and large herbivores”
  • LCIE co-hosts a Council of Europe sponsored seminar on "Transboundary management of large larnivore Populations" together with the Slovenian Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning and the Austrian LIFE bear project, in Osilnica, Slovenia in April.
  • The Council of Europe print a popular report on “Conservation of large carnivores in Europe” written by the LCIE in their Questions and Answers series.
  • LCIE officially becomes a working group within the IUCN’s Species Survival Commission.
  • LCIE members draft a "Report on the conservation status and threats for wolf (Canis lupus) in Europe" for the Council of Europe.

2004

  • LCIE updated and translated into English a Swedish manual for teachers entitled “Living with Large Carnivores – Manual for teachers” produced by WWF Sweden.
  • LCIE prepared a position statement on the Swiss proposal to delist the wolf from Appendix II to Appendix III of the Bern Convention, and presented it to the Bern Convention Standing Committee.
  • LCIE hosted a workshop on "Large Carnivore Conservation in Germany" in the Bavarian Forest National Park, Germany.
  • LCIE sign official cooperation agreement with the SCALP Network (Status and Conservation of Alpine Lynx Populations).
  • The LCIE prepare a report on “Status and trends for large carnivores in Europe” for the United Nations Environment Program’s World Conservation Monitoring Centre”.
  • A representative from the LCIE participated in a visit to Spain as part of the International Committee to Follow-up Conservation Actions on the Iberian lynx in October.

2003

  • The LCIE co-hosted the “Carpathian Workshop on Large Carnivore Conservation” with the Council of Europe in Poiana Brasov, Romania..
  • LCIE representatives participated in two visits to Spain as part of the International Committee to Follow-up Conservation Actions on the Iberian lynx in March and October .
  • The LCIE cooperate on the publication of a brochure about Bears in Croatia.

2002

2001

2000

  • LCIE develop action plans for bears, wolves, Eurasian lynx, Iberian lynx and wolverine presented to, and approved by, the Bern Convention Standing Committee.
  • The Bern Convention Standing committee creates an “Group of experts on Large Carnivores” consisting mainly of LCIE Core Group members and holds a Meeting in Oslo, Norway.
  • Experts from Baltic States launched the Baltic Carnivore Initiative – an independent group within the LCIE. Research projects on carnivore ecology and behaviour, and human dimensions aspects in carnivore population management were established in the region, which lead to the creation of action and management plans for wolves and lynx in Latvia and bears, wolves and lynx in Estonia.
  • The LCIE publishes the first issue of “Carnivore Damage Prevention Newsletter” a free newsletter distributed in print and on the internet.
  • Reports are published on the human dimensions of large carnivore conservation in southeastern France and Croatia.
  • Carnivores and tourism: the challenge ahead”  published in cooperation with WWF-UK.
  • LCIE provide assistance in initiating a human-dimensions based process with stakeholder involvement that provides concrete input into a new Norwegian management plan (finalised in 2003) for large carnivores.
  • LCIE members hold presentations on large carnivore conservation in Europe at the World EXPO 2000 in Hanover, 14th September, 2000.
  • LCIE publish a brochure advertising their activity.

1999

1998

  • Workshop on large carnivore conservation held in Poina Brasov, Romania.
  • Writing of action plans for 5 carnivore species begins.
  • The beginning of the LCIE’s ongoing Human Dimensions research, meant to develop and implement new ideas and methods to ensure the coexistence of carnivores and people.
  • With LCIE encouragement Balkan NGOs established the ‘Balkan Large Carnivore Conservation Network’ (BalkanNet) a program centered around conservation cooperation in the Balkans. 
  • The LCIE established close collaboration with the then newborn Large Herbivore Initiative (currently the Large Herbivore Foundation). Due to this collaboration, some of of the LCIE human dimension research has covered not only carnivore, but also herbivore management issues.
  • The LCIE funded a GIS study on conservation areas for large carnivores in the Alps (0.2MB) and the report was published by the Council of Europe.
  • LCIE experts drafted and published “Guidelines for developing large carnivore management plans”.
  • The LCIE together with experts from the Institute of Applied Ecology (Italy) prepared a publication entitled “The Impact of Livestock Support on Carnivore Conservation” (2.1MB).
  • The original LCIE website was launched.

1997

1996

  • The LCIE identified 'ecoregions' as future management units for large carnivores in Europe.

1995

  • WWF International initiated the “Programme for large carnivores in Europe” (Original press release February 1996 0.1MB), inviting experts and organizations from 17 European countries.