Between threat, disturbance and opportunity: Local actors’ views on coexistence with Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in the French Vosges and Jura mountains
摘要
This paper examines how coexistence with the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) has been conceived and experienced differently over time by local actors based on ethnographic data in two sites in France: the Vosges and Jura Mountains. It first explores interviewees’ perceptions of the Eurasian lynx in relation to other species. It then relates them to the historical context of the Eurasian lynx’s return and to the experiences of nature of each group of actors in the two study sites. Our study highlights significant divergences and convergences between actors’ and groups of actors’ conceptions of coexistence with the Eurasian lynx, with important implications for conservation strategies. Finally, we argue for a more pluralistic and emic approach to coexistence, considering the different ways in which coexistence is made possible by different actors.