Continental Divides: How Wolf Conservation in the United States and Europe Impacts Rural Attitudes

Abstract

Wolves are controversial carnivores whose management generates intense debate. That debate, and the response from wolf managers, often fails to adequately account for rural communities’ fears about wolves. These fears, if ignored, can lead to the frustration of conservation objectives and a disrespect for the law itself. In order to avoid these consequences, nongovernmental organizations and governments involved in wolf management must survey rural communities and implement wolf management strategies that account for rural concerns while honoring conservation objectives. This Note explores rural attitudes and their consequences in the United States and Europe, and proposes a new way forward in navigating the divide between rural stakeholders and wolf managers.