Effectiveness of protected areas in conserving large carnivores in Europe

摘要: Large wilderness areas are absent from Europe and land cover is mostly dominated by human activities. This chapter evaluates the ability of the protected area (PA) system to conserve viable populations of the three largest carnivores in Europe: the lynx (Lynx lynx), the wolf (Canis lupus) and the bear (Ursus arctos). Direct persecution combined with deforestation and decline in ungulate prey led European large carnivores to local extinction in many areas. The chapter considers both national protected areas (NPAs) and special areas of conservation (SACs) and the contribution of the two separately. It compares the total coverage provided by PAs to species’ suitable habitat to the coverage provided to potential viable populations. It also assesses the contribution of each individual European country to large carnivore conservation and their ability to independently conserve the species at a national level through their …