{"id":3497035,"date":"2023-05-11T10:05:38","date_gmt":"2023-05-11T10:05:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.resilience.org\/?p=3497035"},"modified":"2023-05-11T10:05:38","modified_gmt":"2023-05-11T10:05:38","slug":"accelerating-recovery-of-wild-european-mammals-brings-hope-of-wider-nature-regeneration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.resilience.org\/stories\/2023-05-11\/accelerating-recovery-of-wild-european-mammals-brings-hope-of-wider-nature-regeneration\/","title":{"rendered":"Accelerating recovery of wild European mammals brings hope of wider nature regeneration"},"content":{"rendered":"

In 2022, something happened in Britain for the first time in 6,000 years. Deep in the Kent countryside,\u00a0a wild European bison calf was born<\/a>\u00a0as part of the\u00a0Wilder Blean rewilding project<\/a>. The last time wild European bison roamed Britain\u2019s landscapes was after the last Ice Age, some 10,000 years ago, so it\u2019s no wonder the calf\u2019s arrival caused a stir. European bison were once a common sight across most of Europe. As the largest herbivore to roam the continent, European bison could be found\u00a0from France all the way to the tip of the Black Sea in the Ukraine<\/a>. The fossil record tells us that European bison have been roving the continent since the end of the Paleolithic Ice Age, with the earliest fossils dating back to\u00a09,000 BC<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Now, bison are bouncing back. They have experienced a\u00a0166-fold increase in their population<\/a>\u00a0in the last 50 years. And these rates of return are not solely the reserve of the mighty bison. Other wild European mammals are also making a roaring comeback, and the speed of their resurgence suggests that wider, rapid natural regeneration is possible with multiple ecological, and therefore human benefits.<\/p>\n

\"Image<\/p>\n

Credit: Photo by Bryce olsen on Unsplash<\/em><\/p>\n

From 1960 to 2016, Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber<\/i>) populations have ballooned 167-fold, from just a few thousand at the start of the 20th century to\u00a0over 1.2 million wild beavers today<\/a>. Grey seal populations have also\u00a0grown by 6,273 percent<\/a>\u00a0and the population of Alpine ibex has\u00a0risen by 417 percent<\/a>. Eurasian badger populations have\u00a0doubled<\/a>, while Eurasian otter populations have\u00a0tripled<\/a>.<\/p>\n

While these impressive rates of recovery are not reflected across all of Europe\u2019s 250 wild mammal species, they do provide some evidence-based hope that wild mammals can once again flourish across Europe\u2019s diverse and varied landscapes with the right support and policies in place.<\/p>\n

Lessons for rapid transition<\/h3>\n
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  1. Shifting land-use<\/b>\u00a0has allowed some natural habitats to recover, but much more needs to be done to restore fragmented habitats.<\/li>\n
  2. An end to (most) hunting<\/b>\u00a0means wild mammal populations have been able to recover, with some species stabilising.<\/li>\n
  3. Conservation efforts<\/b>\u00a0continue to deliver results and are central to the EU\u2019s broader policy programme. Connecting with recovering nature brings multiple, self reinforcing benefits, including greater human well being and more pro-environmental behaviour.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The big picture<\/h3>\n

    European bison, and other wild mammals that populated the continent, have suffered a dramatic decline over the last 500 years. Rising rates of deforestation, hunting and the steady growth of more intensive and industrial forms of agriculture have devastated wild mammal populations and fragmented habitats, pushing many to the brink of extinction. In fact, the last wild European bison died in\u00a0Poland in 1919<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0species only managed to cling on due to 54 animals being housed and bred in various zoos across Europe<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    At the hands of humans, wolves, lynx, ibex, boar, seals, otters, beavers, bison, and many other iconic and ecologically important wild mammals, were brought to the brink. Many wonderful species that would appear alien to today\u2019s European populations have been completely annihilated. There was a time when\u00a0Malta was populated with wild Hippos<\/a>\u00a0(Hippopotamus melitensis<\/i>) and\u00a0grice, a type of wild pig, roamed the highlands and islands of Scotland and Ireland<\/a>. Unfortunately, these wonders will never return.<\/p>\n

    \"Family<\/p>\n

    Credit: Photo by Wade Lambert on Unsplash<\/em><\/p>\n

    Yet over\u00a0the last 50 years the fate of some wild mammals across Europe has shifted<\/a>. Some populations have\u00a0experienced a rapid and dramatic increase over the last half century<\/a>, reversing millenia of decline and offering fresh hope that nature can recover \u2013 if it\u2019s given the chance.<\/p>\n

    Brown bear numbers have risen by an average of\u00a044 percent between 1960 and 2016<\/a>, while the Iberian lynx has seen its population grow by\u00a0252 percent<\/a>. Humpback whales have seen their numbers rise by\u00a037 percent between 1986 to 2016<\/a>, while the pine marten \u2013 a natural predator to the invasive grey squirrel \u2013 has seen its population grow by\u00a021 percent from 1986 to 2016<\/a>. Some reptile species, such as the loggerhead turtle, have seen its\u00a0numbers grow by 68 percent over the last 40 years.<\/a><\/p>\n

    The most impressive bounce backs, however, are among the beaver and bison \u2013 two species that play vital roles within ecosystems. Both beaver and bison populations have seen\u00a0167-fold increases over the last 50 years<\/a>. These mammals help support a rich mosaic of habitats and biodiversity. Wild bison, for instance,\u00a0trample and wallow in the soil and sand<\/a>\u00a0to create niche habitats for plants, insects and lizards, while also\u00a0playing an important role in the dispersal of seeds<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    Context and background<\/h3>\n

    The impressive recovery rates over the past 50 years have been possible due to a shifting cultural and economic context. Alongside this, there is a growing scientific consensus of the importance of small and large mammals for sustaining biodiversity and helping ecosystems flourish. The sheer diversity of mammals, both in terms of their morphology and their roles within ecosystems, is testimony to the functions they perform.\u00a0From the tiny bumblebee bat, which weighs just two grams, to behemoth blue whales, weighing in at 150,000 kilograms<\/a>, mammals really do come in all shapes and sizes.<\/p>\n

    Wild mammals play a variety of leading roles within an ecosystem,\u00a0from dispersing seeds, pollinating plants and regulating insect populations, to reducing disease transmission and creating niche habitats for other species<\/a>. The European bison reintroduced to Kent in the UK have already started clearing paths through undergrowth, ripping the bark off trees, and wallowing around in the mud to make space for seeds and other habitats \u2013 natural processes that humans would struggle to replicate. Bison and other large herbivores are often labelled \u2018ecosystem engineers<\/a>\u2019 for this very reason \u2013 they shape and manage the land they reside on.<\/p>\n

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    Credit: Photo by Svetozar Cenisev on Unsplash<\/em><\/p>\n

    Some species of mammals \u2013 such as the magical beaver \u2013 are considered\u00a0keystone species<\/a>\u00a0due to their ability to shape the ecosystems around them, creating\u00a0entirely new habitats<\/a>\u00a0through building dams where fish, birds and all manner of species can thrive. Other mammals, like bats, act as\u00a0indicators of healthy and functioning ecosystems<\/a>. Between 1974 and 2016,\u00a0Geoffroy\u2019s bat populations have increased 53-fold<\/a>\u00a0across Europe.<\/p>\n

    Wild mammals also have a role to play in reducing the damage and destruction wrought by climate breakdown. In the temperate climate of Europe, large mammals have been proven\u00a0to reduce the risk of forest and wildfires<\/a>\u00a0by creating gaps in vegetation through grazing and trampling. In the summer of 2022, wildfires ravaged Europe,\u00a0burning the second-largest area on record<\/a>. As global temperatures continue to rise,\u00a0wildfires will increase in their frequency and severity<\/a>. Bolstering the population of large mammals could provide a useful tool in the fight against fires alongside deep and immediate cuts to emissions.<\/p>\n

    What\u2019s more, the grazing of wild mammals can also help retain the carbon stability of soil over long periods of time. Soil contains vast amounts of carbon \u2013\u00a0more than all plants and the atmosphere combined<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 which makes ensuring its stability important for both climate efforts and environmental conservation. Mammals like the alpine ibex, which have seen their numbers grow by\u00a0417 percent from 1975 to 2016<\/a>, are\u00a0highly effective at stabilising soil carbon within grazing ecosystems<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    Enabling conditions<\/h3>\n

    Shifting land-use<\/h4>\n

    The way that land is used within European countries has changed dramatically over the last century. Although Europe\u2019s population has grown,\u00a0agricultural land use has declined<\/a>. The decline is often attributed to the\u00a0modernisation and intensification of agriculture<\/a>, which boosted agricultural yields and reduced the area and labour required to grow ample food. However, there are other drivers too, such as\u00a0shifting subsidy regimes, fluctuating agricultural prices, demographics and deepening international trade networks<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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    Credit: Photo by Guillaume Henrotte on Unsplash<\/em><\/p>\n

    A reduction in agricultural land use in Europe has allowed natural habitats to return to the land that was turned into farms hundreds of years ago. While this has supported the bounce back of many European mammals, there is still a long way to go before European habitats can support the biodiversity that once inhabited the continent. As much as\u00a081 percent<\/a>\u00a0of natural habitats across Europe are considered to be in poor condition, with peatlands, grasslands and dune habitats deteriorating at the fastest rate. To sustain the return of wild mammals, and encourage the return of myriad other species, drastic action to improve habitat restoration is needed.<\/p>\n

    An end to (most) hunting<\/h4>\n

    Another initiative that helped wild mammal populations recover was to stop killing them. Throughout Europe, national governments have introduced both outright hunting bans and stringent hunting quotas. In 1981, Sweden introduced hunting quotas for brown bears, which is often\u00a0cited to be the main driver of the recovery of this species in Sweden and its neighbouring countries<\/a>. Similar policies have been introduced across the whole continent, such as the\u00a0European-wide ban on the hunting of Harbour seals<\/a>, with the exception of Iceland and Norway.<\/p>\n

    What\u2019s more, governments have established designated protected areas with legal standing where rangers patrol to prevent illegal poachers. The overarching target by 2030 is to expand protected areas to occupy around\u00a030 percent of EU land<\/a>. As of 2021, protected areas covered\u00a026.4 percent<\/a>\u00a0of EU land, with 18.5 percent designated as Natura 2000 sites and 7.9 percent having other national designations, spread across more than\u00a0100,000 sites<\/a>. Approximately\u00a0nine EU member states<\/a>\u00a0have already designated over 30 percent of their land as protected areas, with Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia leading the way. There is much more still to do, but governments are pushing ahead to protect nature.<\/p>\n

    Conservation efforts<\/h4>\n

    A key element of wild mammals\u2019 recovery rates throughout Europe is the growth of conservation efforts and governments embrace of them. In Sweden, for instance, the government introduced a compensation scheme for the successful reproduction of wolverines \u2013 an apex predator that naturally keeps reindeer numbers in check to avoid overgrazing. The scheme was an unmitigated success, with\u00a0the number of registered reproductions doubling after the introduction of the scheme<\/a>. Between 1989 and 2016, wolverine populations\u00a0grew by nearly 200 percent<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    The European bison\u2019s bounce back was also the result of dedicated conservationists. After the last wild bison in Europe died at the beginning of the 20th century, decades of breeding and reintroduction programmes have ensued with populations ballooning. In practice, there are more than 30 times the number of European bison alive today than in 1960. The\u00a0IUCN Red List<\/a>\u00a0has now moved European bison from the classification of Vulnerable to Near Threatened thanks to the continued conservation efforts of individuals, organisations and governments.<\/p>\n

    \"Image<\/p>\n

    Credit: Photo by Mike Beaumont on Unsplash<\/em><\/p>\n

    In sum, while the world is facing a human-induced mass extinction event and unprecedented losses of biodiversity and wildlife worldwide, it is important to remember the power we have to make positive choices to protect species and the environments they live in and upon which we all depend. There is the possibility then to create a virtuous cycle in which greater human connectedness to nature, leads to both\u00a0higher levels of human well being and more pro-environmental human behaviour<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    References<\/h3>\n