When we talk about the advancement of large mammals, we are referring to a whole range of animal species that are flourishing again for a variety of reasons. Existing populations of wild boar and deer are expanding naturally, while beavers and otters, for example, have been deliberately reintroduced. Other species, such as wolves and wild cats, have returned to the Netherlands on their own, and wild cattle and horses are being used in more and more nature reserves to restore ecological processes. So we are talking about a wide variety of animal species, each with their own behaviour patterns, to which people in turn react differently.

Pressure and public support

While some welcome the return and increase of large mammals, others see it as a cause for concern. After all, in a densely populated country such as the Netherlands, this inevitably leads to more encounters between humans and animals in nature. Although many of these interactions result in positive experiences, more frequent encounters also have the potential to cause tension and incidents, which can lead to heated discussions.

The current situation, therefore, also causes tensions between people. If we want to resolve this, we'll need an approach that influences human-animal behaviour in a way that prevents conflicts and is acceptable to all parties. An approach that allows space for large mammals, without ignoring the wishes and limitations of the Dutch landscape.

An open view of the future

All of the above raises a lot of questions. For example, how do we see the relationship between humans and large mammals? Will we continue to move forward with the current methods, or should we try a different approach (and what are the consequences of that)? If we go for the latter, there'll be a need for new insights and strategies to make sure everything goes smoothly.

We'll need to figure out, after all, what new ways of managing encounters between humans and animals might look like. For example, is it possible to improve interactions by adjusting the behaviour of humans and animals? And can this simply be added to the current approach, which, especially for a rapidly changing country like the Netherlands, has traditionally been fairly static? Or does it require different forms of organisation and communication between the various parties involved?

WildlifeNL will investigate this and much more. During our eight-year project, we aim to contribute to a prosperous coexistence of humans and animals in the future. It's no small feat, after all, to achieve a renewed balance in such a dynamic and densely populated landscape.

Photo header:  Erwin Christis, RLKM