World Wildlife Day, celebrated on March 3, reminds us that biodiversity is not merely a natural heritage we admire during our walks or in the documentaries that marked our childhood. Wildlife underpins the functioning and resilience of ecosystems, forming the basis for the provision of numerous ecosystem services, such as food production, pollination, and water purification, among many others that are essential for human survival and well-being.
Human activities have profoundly shaped natural ecosystems. Increasing urbanization, agricultural intensification, habitat fragmentation, climate change, and pollution all contribute to global shifts in the distribution and density of wild animals, often with severe consequences for biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.
In this context, it is essential to find a delicate balance that enables coexistence between human societies and wildlife. As humans transform landscapes, contact between human populations, domestic animals, and wild species increases. This growing proximity creates new challenges, ranging from human–wildlife conflicts to health risks, highlighting the interconnection between ecological, social, and economic dimensions.
We are living in a period of accelerated biodiversity loss, marked by widespread population declines and an unprecedented global conservation crisis. Nevertheless, some species have demonstrated a remarkable ability to adapt to highly modified environments, revealing ecological and behavioral plasticity. Understanding these responses is crucial for developing conservation and management strategies suited to different ecological and geographical contexts.
Research carried out at CESAM, focused on understanding these dynamics, supports public policies and management strategies that promote sustainable coexistence between human societies and wildlife. Examples include the Soil@INT – Inland Soils: Monitoring to Mitigate the Effects of Climate Change project, which contributes to understanding the role of soils and terrestrial ecosystems in climate change adaptation and the maintenance of ecosystem services; LIFE LUPI-LYNX, which works to create socioecological conditions favorable to the expansion of the Iberian wolf and the Iberian lynx, promoting the conservation of these emblematic species while mitigating conflicts with human activities; and, lastly, BioSolar – Solar Farms: An Opportunity for Biodiversity Recovery in Agricultural Lands, which explores innovative solutions that reconcile solar energy production with biodiversity recovery and enhancement in agricultural landscapes. Together, these projects illustrate CESAM’s commitment to integrated approaches that combine nature conservation, sustainable development, and adaptation to global change.
On World Wildlife Day, we reaffirm the importance of scientific research in building solutions that reconcile human development with ecological integrity. Caring for wildlife also means caring for our common future.
News by Rita Torres, Vice-Coordinator of Research Cluster 4 & CESAM Communication, Promotion and Dissemination Office