Working together towards more meaningful activities of large carnivore observers
We participated in four regional workshops organized by the Natural Resources Institute Finland and the Finnish Wildlife Agency, which surveyed the opinions of large carnivore observers (LCOs) on how to develop their activities, increase its significance, and improve interaction between Luke and large carnivore observers.
A total of more than 70 large carnivore observers, Luke’s large carnivore researchers, and experts from the Finnish Wildlife Agency gathered in Huittinen, Jyväskylä, Joensuu, and Rovaniemi to discuss ideas for increasing reciprocity. The common goal for everyone seemed to be reliable and high-quality population estimates.
The following needs, among others, emerged during the discussions:
- Increasing information sharing and interaction
- Growing a common understanding of methods and models for processing observations
- Developing a joint examination of national population assessments and local observations
- Ensuring the continuity of large carnivore observers’s activities
Based on the workshops, Akordi will draft a proposal for developing interaction between large carnivore observers and Luke. The results will be reviewed jointly in a webinar later this year.
A warm thank you to all participants for their active participation, constructive views, and open discussion!
