Background

A RENEWED AMBITION TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES OF COEXISTENCE

Launched in 2020, the Human–Wildlife Initiative provided an initial framework for promoting coexistence between human activities and wildlife.

In response to evolving conservation challenges and growing tensions surrounding the presence of large carnivores in Europe, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation undertook a strategic review to strengthen and broaden this approach.

The change in the wolf's protection status in Europe in 2025 marked a significant milestone in the evolution of conservation policies. Beyond the case of the wolf, this development raises broader questions about the future of large carnivore protection and our societies' ability to reconcile biodiversity conservation with human activities.

Yet large predators play a vital role in maintaining healthy ecosystems. Undermining their protection means disrupting the interconnected web of life, with consequences that ultimately affect our own well-being. Several decades of European research and conservation programmes have generated substantial expertise, developed preventive tools and tested practical solutions. However, these achievements remain insufficiently shared, adapted and implemented across other territories.

Against this backdrop, the Foundation has sought to give a new dimension to its commitment by developing an initiative dedicated to coexistence with large carnivores across the European Union, Switzerland and the Balkans. This renewed direction is built around a complementary ambition: mobilising philanthropic foundations to increase available funding, promote the sharing of knowledge and support the wider implementation of proven solutions.