1. What is the Large Carnivores, Wild Ungulates and Society Platform?
Sustainable wildlife management has to be an expression of a will or a decision by society, how to deal with our wildlife species and their living space, by taking into account, balancing and harmonizing ecological, economical and socio-cultural interests: An antagonism needs to be managed: wildlife – society.
The Platform (also called the Platform WISO) was set up by the Xth Alpine Conference in Evian, March 2009. Members of the platform are also official observers of the Alpine Convention.
List of members of the Platform WISO
Guidelines "Large carnivores, wild ungulates and society" (adopted by the XI Alpine Conference, Brdo 2011)
Background document (Please find it in DE, FR, IT and SL)
2. Objectives
The objectives of the Platform “Large Carnivores and Wild Ungulates” embedded in the Alpine Convention are to find solutions to manage large carnivores and wild ungulates harmoniously, and based on an integrated approach. The platform goes beyond a strictly ecological approach and endeavours to take into account economic and social aspects on an equal level.
According to the mandate, the main activities of the platform are:
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International cooperation for the purpose of :
- exchange of knowledge and experience (good-practice examples);
- establishment of a forum for the discussion of issues concerning the preservation, management, and use of large carnivores and wild ungulates;
- ensuring exchange of information among relevant partners.
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Cooperation in terms of content, with the aim of cross-border protection and management of wildlife at the population level, especially:
- ascertaining the biological and ecological needs of the single species (“ecological model”);
- understanding the readiness of the local human population to tolerate large predators (“social tolerance model”);
- considering the needs of local stakeholders;
- determining common long term goals for the preservation of large predator populations;
- development of a common action and communication strategy (especially for crisis situations).