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Europeans support large carnivore recovery while opposing both further population growth and hunting

Chapron, Guillaume1; Epstein, Yaffa2; Bruskotter, Jeremy3; López-Bao, José Vicente4

Published Nov 25, 2025 on Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.w6m905r2k

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Abstract

After centuries of persecution in Europe, large carnivores are now recovering. Whether this conservation success continues likely depends on public support. Here, we show using a survey of ten thousand respondents across European Union Member States that, while support for the recovery of wolves, bears, and lynx remains strong, most respondents oppose both further population growth and hunting—particularly of wolves. Attitudes are remarkably consistent across rural and urban populations, and many respondents express no strong position, suggesting that large carnivores are less polarizing than often portrayed. The recent amendment to the Habitats Directive, which grants Member States greater flexibility to manage their wolf populations, appears broadly aligned with public opinion, as long as its implementation does not lead to population declines. However, the presence of views in tension—rejecting both population growth and hunting— may pose challenges for designing policies that are both science-based and democratic.