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1. While the return of wolves (Canis lupus) to many European countries is a conservation milestone, the negative impacts are unevenly distributed across society, placing high pressure on livestock grazing systems. 2. For this perspective, scientists from diverse disciplines and geographical backgrounds reflect on the state of livestock–wolf interactions in Europe and formulate recommendations for enabling wolf–livestock coexistence. 3. We argue that co-designing, co-implementing and co-disseminating research with key stakeholders, such as livestock farmers, is a productive approach to developing and implementing locally appropriate coexistence strategies. 4. Decision-making should be informed by scientific evidence. We recommend that ecological data on wolves and livestock are collected and shared across borders. Evidence from the social sciences is important for understanding the human dimension of wolf–livestock interactions. 5. We suggest bridging the gaps within multidisciplinary wolf–livestock research to strengthen interdisciplinary insights, comprehensively evaluate management approaches and guide governance and policy decisions that properly account for inherent complexities. 6. Policy implications: As wolf populations and their impacts continue to grow in Europe, policymakers at all levels must make decisions that adequately safeguard wolf populations while simultaneously protecting livestock and livelihoods. This requires access to reliable scientific evidence. adaptive management, Canis lupus, co-implementation, grazing systems, human–wildlife coexistence, interdisciplinary research, science communication, stakeholder engagement

Black grouse (Tetrao tetrix) in Central Europe have undergone a severe contraction of their range in recent decades with only a few small isolated remaining populations. Here we compare genetic diversity of two contemporary isolated populations (Sallandse Heuvelrug, Netherlands and Lüneburger Heide, Germany) with historical samples from the same region collected within the last one hundred years. We use markers with both putatively neutral and functional variation to test whether the present small and highly fragmented populations hold lower genetic diversity compared to the former larger population. For this we applied three different types of genetic markers: nine microsatellites and 21 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), both sets which have been found to be neutral, and two functional major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes for which there is evidence they are under selection. The contemporary small isolated populations displayed lower neutral genetic diversity compared to the corresponding historical samples. Furthermore, samples from Denmark showed that this now extinct population displayed lower genetic variation in the period immediately prior to the local extinction. Population structure was more pronounced among contemporary populations compared to historical populations for microsatellites and SNPs. This effect was not as distinct for MHC which is consistent with the possibility that MHC has been subjected to balancing selection in the past, a process which maintains genetic variation and may minimize population structure for such markers. Genetic differentiation among the present populations highlights the strong effects of population decline on the genetic structure of natural populations, which can be ultimately attributed to habitat loss following anthropogenic land use changes.

We studied microsatellite genetic variation in 14 different geographic populations of black grouse (Tetrao tetrix) across the European range. Populations were grouped in three different fragmentation categories: isolated, contiguous and continuous, respectively. Genetic diversity, measured as observed heterozygosity (H ^sub O^), expected heterozygosity (H ^sub E^) and allelic richness, were lower in isolated populations as compared to the other two categories that did not differ amongst one another. These results imply that lowered genetic variability in black grouse populations is negatively affected by population isolation. Our results suggest that the connectivity of small and isolated populations in Western Europe should be improved or else these face an increased risk of extinction due to genetic and demographic stochasticity.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]

In the current study, the use of spraints for monitoring levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in individual otters was experimentally validated. On the basis of a detailed pattern analysis, it is concluded that in the current study, PCB concentrations in spraints that contain relatively high concentrations of nonmetabolizable PCB congeners (PCB 138 and 153>42.5% of total PCB concentrations) reflect the internal PCB concentrations of the otter that produced the spraint. In general, however, spraints should be selected that contain relative concentrations of PCB 138 and PCB 153>95th percentile of these congeners in samples from local food items of otters. On the basis of relationships between levels in spraints and internal levels and on earlier reported effect concentrations, a threshold level range of 1.0 to 2.3 μg/g (lipid normalized) in such spraints is proposed. The validated methods to monitor PCBs in otters may be combined with genetic marker techniques that can assess the identity of the otter that produced the spraints. In such a design, it is feasible to monitor PCB levels in individual free‐ranging otters in a truly animal friendly way.