From beavers building dams in city centres to bison roaming through villages, many European wildlife species are increasingly returning to landscapes shaped by people. With the continent’s wild animals demonstrating a remarkable ability to adapt to our presence, can we learn to adapt to theirs?

Across Europe, community leaders such as mayors play a vital role supporting nature recovery by helping people and wildlife share space. Launched at a well-attended webinar, new guidance will equip these leaders with the knowledge and solutions to enhance coexistence and unlock the benefits of wildlife comeback.

In the Central Apennines rewilding landscape in Italy, innovative artistic initiatives are engaging a broader local audience in critical issues such as wildlife poisoning and human-wildlife coexistence. Changing mindsets and inspiring action will support the scaling up of rewilding and the positive impact it delivers.

Wildlife comeback can sometimes lead to coexistence challenges. A recent example from the Ukrainian part of the Danube Delta rewilding landscape shows how simple solutions can often overcome these challenges, ensuring the recovery of wild nature benefits all.

Encouraging and enabling people to live alongside bears and other wildlife in the Central Apennines of Italy is critical to the recovery of local nature. By fostering dialogue and collaborative solutions, bear-smart community committees will help to promote such coexistences across the landscape.

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.

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.

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 aim of the LIFE Bear-Smart Corridors initiative is to enhance human-bear coexistence in Italy, Greece, and further afield. The initiative’s well-attended first two public meetings, in the towns of Pettorano sul Gizio and Vastogirardi in the Central Apennines rewilding landscape, proved very positive and educational events.

Rewilding Europe has commissioned a science-based overview of changes in the abundance and distribution of selected wildlife species in Europe. The updated Wildlife Comeback report will provide the latest and state-of-the-art insights, opportunities and challenges for wildlife comeback at a European scale.