Carnivore conservation and education in the Western Carpathians
Slovak Wildlife Society
Administration of Protection of Landscape Area Beskydy and Ministry of Environment
State Nature Conservancy of the Slovak Republic
National Parks authorities
Forestry Faculty in Zvolen (SK)
Charles University in Prague (CZ)
The project aims to develop the biological, economic and socio-political conditions necessary for improved coexistence between carnivores and humans within their natural ranges in the Czech and Slovak Carpathians. The project includes mainly education activities supplemented with field monitoring of the populations of four carnivore species: grey wolf (Canis lupus), Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), brown bear (Ursus arctos) and wild cat (Felis silvestris). A Carpathian Carnivore Centre is to be established in Slovakia to serve as a focal point of education activities and international cooperation. Elementary and secondary school education programmes will be designed and implemented. Teachers’ manuals about bears and wolves already published in Slovak will be translated into other languages and a new manual about lynx published. Two films and two exhibitions will be completed. Discussion forums for the public, hunters and university students will be organized. Information materials will be produced to inform farmers how to protect livestock from attacks by carnivores. Non-lethal measures to mitigate conflicts will be promoted and supported. Training sessions for volunteers will be held to engage local people in the activities.
Project aims and objectives
The overall aim of the project is to contribute to long-term carnivore conservation in the Czech and Slovak Republic by improving coexistence through education and conflict resolution:
- to increase positive awareness about carnivores among young people (12–19 years old)
- to increase positive awareness about carnivores among local residents and tourists in the project areas
- to increase tolerance toward large carnivores among hunters and foresters to improve knowledge and use of non-lethal preventive measures to resolve conflicts
- to establish and run a Carpathian Carnivore Centre
