Our history of interacting with wildlife is deep and complex. Scholars believe that our affinity for wildlife is innate and much of human psychology has been influenced by this affinity. This affinity motivates humans to watch, learn from, and study wildlife. Unfortunately, our history with wildlife also includes darker stories. With the expansion of human influence and development across landscapes globally, people increasingly viewed wildlife in antagonistic ways. The benefits of carnivores to ecosystems were not appreciated; instead, they were vilified as threats to livestock or seen as the embodiment of spiritual evils. With the expansion of cities, suburbs, and exurban areas, humans perceived nature as separate from our “unnatural” systems and constructed landscapes.
Human impact has pushed many wildlife species towards extinction. The usual co-existence strategies are to confine more and more wildlife habitat to smaller reserves, parks, or other fenced areas to protect remaining wildlife in that location, and the human settlements as well.
When humans coexist with and do not persecute wildlife, we see vast improvements to the ecosystem's health, agricultural stability, food security, and the creation of new sustainable economies. Ultimately, coexistence with wildlife is essential for all life, humans, and animals alike.
To support the holistic health of ecosystems that support humans and all life, evidence-based and ethically consistent practices must promote coexistence rather than conflict.