Projects and sites

The Carnivore Coexistence Lab core team works on four major challenges to peaceful coexistence between people and large carnivores around the world. We study (1) risk and prevention of predation on domestic animals, (2) risk and protection of human-induced carnivore mortality, (3) the benefits of carnivores for people and for ecosystem health, and (4) the law, ethics, and scientific integrity that underpin our value-based decision to coexist with carnivores. Meet the core team on our People page.

Of late, we have worked or are currently working at the following sites:

Akagera National Park, Rwanda and surrounding villages >1108 square km: Google map: leopards, lions, and spotted hyenas coexisting with a rural population of small-holder crop and livestock growers. Our project here is studying the effect of lion reintroduction on 10 other species, investigating poaching in the park, and evaluating the effectiveness of electric fencing and of livestock corrals for protecting domestic animals and other human interests. Lead: Drew Bantlin. Report on human-wildlife conflicts and coexistence

In 2024, we began to explore new research opportunities around Akagera National Park, Rwanda, under the co-leadership of Allison Fisher and Meghan Hills. We began by discussing collaborations with the Global Health Institute at UW-Madison, and African Parks under the guidance of Drew Bantlin. The attached two-page prospectus describes our for research ideas as of July 2024. The full reference list for the prospectus can be found here.

Sikhote-Alin Nature Reserve Park, Russia 4016 square km: Google map: Tigers: Our project is an ecological experiment to understand if tigers create a landscape of fear in their prey and therefore might influence a trophic cascade in their ecosystems. Lead: Karann Putrevu. Also see Karann's website..

Longview, Alberta, Canada and surrounding private and public grazing parcels >50 square km: Google map: grizzly bears, grey wolves, cougars, black bears, and coyotes coexisting with thousands of head of cattle owned by the Spruce Cooperative on public grazing lands. Our project here is a gold-standard experiment with Range Riders.Lead: Naomi Louchouarn.

Cimitarra municipality in the Magdalena Medio Valley of Colombia:Google map: Jaguars and pumas coexisting with cattle owners in the tropical Andes. Our project is a gold-standard experiment with Foxlights®. Lead: Alicia Alexandra Pineda Guerrero.

Maasai Mara, Kenya 1510 square km Google map: Cheetahs coexisting with cattle-owning Maasai herders in a mixed-use protected area. Our project is an ecological experiment to evaluate how cheetahs coexist with herders and their livestock. Lead: Brian Schuh.

Bad River Reservation, USA and surrounding private properties >630 square km: Google map: gray wolves, cougars, black bears, and coyotes coexisting with wealthy livestock owners living around a tribal nation that reveres the wolf. Our project is a gold-standard experiment with fladry and Foxlights®. Lead: Abi Fergus.

Mexican wolves, red wolves, and Western Great Lake region gray wolves. We are conducting survival analyses using historical data on radio-collared wolves to understand the effects of policy changes that tighten or loosen protections for wolves. Lead: Naomi Louchouarn.

Colorado's native carnivores: We are investigating coexistence with coyotes, black bears, cougars, and maybe someday gray wolves, in Montrose County, Colorado. Lead: Sam Hermanstorfer.

We worked in Araucanía Chile 31842 square km: Google map: and Tarapacá, Chile 42,226 square km: Google map: pumas, Andean foxes, and free-running dogs coexist with llamas, alpacas, sheep, and other domestic animals owned by poor, small-holder farmers. Our project is a gold-standard (+) experiment with Foxlights® and Critter-Gitters®.Lead: Dr. Omar Ohrens.

Wildlife for All: a new non-profit founded to reform wildlife management in the U.S. to be more ecologically-driven, democratic, and compassionate:

Ecologically-driven, because that is what is needed to protect species and ecosystems in the face of a global extinction crisis.

Democratic, because wildlife is a public trust and everyone should have a voice in wildlife decisions.

Compassionate, because wild animals deserve to be treated humanely and with respect.

Our work is guided by the following principles:

Wildlife should be treated as a public trust, which federal, state, and tribal governments have a fiduciary duty first to preserve for future generations and secondly a duty to regulate current uses, enforce against illegal uses, and manage the trust for the broad public interest;

Wildlife decision-making should be democratic, transparent, informed by science, and include explicit value statements;

Consumptive uses and users should not be privileged;

The individual interests of all organisms to exist and thrive should be recognized and respected;

All wild species, including invertebrates, have ecological value and should be protected as part of natural ecosystems;

In cases of conflict, native species should be prioritized over non-natives.

The public benefits broadly from the existence of wildlife, and should share in the cost of protecting it.