Large Carnivores, Wild Ungulates and Society Working Group - WISO

Large carnivores like wolves, bears, and lynxes, and wild ungulates such as ibexes, chamois, or red deer, are significant components of Alpine ecosystems and frequently associated with Alpine environments in artistic and cultural depictions.

Over the past five decades, large carnivores have seen a substantial population recovery in the Alps, which is widely acknowledged as a conservation success story. A concerted approach at Alpine level is crucial if we are to have a common understanding of the distribution and size of their populations and to better manage conflicts with human activities such as pastoralism, forestry, and hunting. 

The main objective of the Large Carnivores, Wild Ungulates and Society Working Group (WISO), set up by the X Alpine Conference in 2009, is to find and share collaborative solutions to manage large carnivores and wild ungulates harmoniously with society and based on an integrated approach. The Working Group goes beyond a strictly ecological approach and endeavours to also consider economic and social aspects in a balanced manner. 

During the current mandate, and in the continuity of the previous ones, the WISO Working Group promotes the sharing of experiences among the Alpine countries to assess the management of large carnivores and wild ungulates and their social and economic impacts. The European and international contexts on which current national legislation on the management of large carnivores and wild ungulates is based (the Bern Convention and the Habitats Directive) are also considered.