Research Unit of Biodiversity (UO-CSIC-PA), Mieres Campus, University of Oviedo, 33600, Mieres, Asturias, Spain.
Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
Ambio. 2021 Jun;50(6):1259-1268. doi: 10.1007/s13280-021-01524-y. Epub 2021 Feb 19.
Large carnivores are ecologically important, but their behaviour frequently put them in conflict with humans. I suggest that a spatial co-occurrence of suitable habitat and relatively poor socioeconomic conditions in rural areas may contribute to inflated human-carnivore conflict. Here, I test if there is potential for such an explanation for the human-wolf conflict in Sweden, a conflict that is arguably not congruent with the costs and damages imposed by the wolf population. I found negative correlations between wolf habitat suitability within Swedish municipalities and indicators of their relative socioeconomic conditions. I argue that geographic socioeconomic inequality may contribute to the Swedish human-wolf conflict, partly by the use of wolves as symbols for socioeconomic dissent and partly by using them as scapegoats for socioeconomic conditions. Therefore, regional policies aimed at alleviating geographic socioeconomic inequities may create a more favourable environment for solving the human-wolf conflict in Sweden.
大型食肉动物在生态系统中具有重要作用，但它们的行为经常使其与人类发生冲突。我认为，在农村地区，适宜栖息地的空间共存和相对较差的社会经济条件可能导致人与食肉动物冲突加剧。在这里，我测试了这种解释是否适用于瑞典的人与狼冲突，这种冲突与狼种群造成的成本和损害并不一致。我发现，瑞典市政当局内部狼栖息地适宜性与相对社会经济条件指标之间存在负相关关系。我认为，地理社会经济不平等可能导致瑞典的人狼冲突，部分原因是将狼用作社会经济异议的象征，部分原因是将其用作社会经济条件的替罪羊。因此，旨在减轻地理社会经济不平等的区域政策可能为解决瑞典的人狼冲突创造更有利的环境。
