Are large carnivores really an important issue for the European Commission?
Yes! Large carnivores are presently found in all EU countries apart from the British Isles and the Benelux countries (22 of 27 countries) with some countries having all 4 species. Wherever they occur the large carnivores are controversial and absorb a lot of management capacity. They are responsible for a significant proportion of the correspondence that the Commission deals with. This reflects the fact that we have not yet found the best management structures for them. These species have been saved from extinction, but there is still a long way to go before we have reached sustainable coexistence.
