In the heart of the Central Apennines rewilding landscape, the residents of Pettorano sul Gizio are benefitting from lives that are increasingly entwined with local nature.

A livestock guard dog programme overseen by Rewilding Portugal has just reached its impressive target, with the 101st dog handed over to a local farmer. By reducing livestock predation, the programme will support the recovery of the endangered and ecologically important Iberian wolf.

An extensive new study carried out in Germany and Poland has revealed widespread societal support for rewilding and the return of wildlife in the Oder Delta. It also highlighted the need to continue promoting the benefits of nature recovery and the restoration of natural processes – particularly to people living in and around the delta.

Starting this month, the Rewilding Portugal team are coordinating cross-border, multi-partner efforts to enhance the recovery of Iberian lynx and Iberian wolf populations south of the Douro River.

Rewilding efforts are supporting wildlife comeback in the stunning Velebit Mountains of Croatia. With the abundance of iconic species such as brown bears increasing in the landscape, the local rewilding team are taking steps to ensure communities can live alongside wildlife and benefit economically from its recovery.

Wolves are ecologically important animals that benefit people and nature. Rather than reducing the wolf’s protected status, the European Commission should focus its efforts on encouraging and enabling better livestock protection.

The welcome and inspirational return of wildlife species to European landscapes presents a range of challenges, as evidenced by recent poisoning incidents in the Central Apennines of Italy. By ensuring people benefit from nature – and by educating and enforcing – these challenges can be overcome.

A new and updated Wildlife Comeback Report, involving 50 European wildlife species, will be published today, September 27. Commissioned by Rewilding Europe, it highlights species that have made a comeback in Europe over the last 40 to 50 years, explores the reasons behind their recovery, and provides an outlook for future recovery of European wildlife.

Coordinated by Rewilding Europe, 12 partners from Italy and Greece are kicking off a new EU-funded programme that will support living harmoniously with bears in Europe. The LIFE Bear-Smart Corridors initiative will support the development of a network of communities in coexistence corridors.

Rewilding Europe and WWF Romania have been reintroducing bison in the Southern Carpathians of Romania since 2014. Shot by French filmmaker Emmanuel Rondeau, “Zimbrul” is an intimate snapshot of people’s feelings about the return of this iconic species.