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Europeans like wolves, lynx and bears and oppose hunting them but do not want more of these animals

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A Europe‑wide survey of 10,000 respondents shows strong backing for the recovery of wolves, lynx and bears, as well as opposition to hunting and culling, but also shows that a majority opposes any further population growth. Many respondents remain neutral, which indicates that large carnivore recovery is far less polarizing than commonly portrayed.

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Fig. 1: Public opinion in the EU concerning the conservation and management of large carnivores.

References

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This is a summary of: Chapron, G. et al. Europeans support large carnivore recovery while opposing both further population growth and hunting. Nat. Ecol. Evol. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-025-02914-1 (2025).

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Europeans like wolves, lynx and bears and oppose hunting them but do not want more of these animals.
Nat Ecol Evol (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-025-02915-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-025-02915-0

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