Managing Human–Wildlife Conflicts: A New Practical Guide for Conservation and Communities

Conflicts between people and wildlife are not always about animals.

More often, they are about people — their interests, fears, and decisions.

This is exactly what the “Conflict Management Toolkit” addresses. The guide was developed by the Global Alliance – the Ethical Conservation Alliance (ECA), with the Danube-Carpathian Programme as a co-author.

We invite you to read and share this publication — a practical resource for those working with nature, local communities, or environmental policy.

Drawing on decades of field experience, ecological and social research, and insights into local communities across regions, the toolkit aims to integrate ecological science, social understanding, and ethical practice into a comprehensive framework that promotes harmonious coexistence between people and wildlife. It emphasises fairness, empathy, respect, and reciprocity as core values for effective conservation.

What the guide includes:

•  An explanation of why “human–wildlife conflict” often reflects competing human interests rather than a conflict between people and animals;
• An analysis of why such conflicts cannot be completely eliminated but can be effectively managed;
• Principles for conflict management: empathy, fairness, and cooperation with communities rather than top-down decisions;
• Practical approaches — how to respond to wildlife-related damage, work with communities, and build trust;
• A shift in perspective: from “fighting” wildlife through destruction to coexistence.

The English version of the guide and accompanying video materials are available via the link.

For non-English speakers, automatic translation and Ukrainian subtitles can be enabled.

Images used: Photo 2, 5 — Wikipedia; Photo 3, 4 — BBC.