ABSTRACT
Multiple societal priorities often lead to power struggles, and the resultant ideological and land use conflicts create gaps that undermine conservation efforts globally. We suggest that for effective large carnivore conservation, these societal gaps must be bridged through respectful collaborations between conservationists, scientists, local communities, governments, and industry. We also suggest that as scientists, we will achieve little in conservation, which is increasingly a socio-political pursuit. But if we can engage respectfully with other sections of society and the government, together we still have a chance to secure the future of the planet’s surviving large carnivores and their habitats. Using snow leopards (Panthera uncia) of High Asia as our flagship and focal taxon, we show that it is possible to bring together diverse interests and stakeholders for conservation, and to work effectively and ethically with local communities who are most affected by large carnivores and their conservation. The approach we outline could also help expand the planet’s protected area coverage well beyond what the Aichi targets aim for.
