Josip Kusak, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Croatia
Can Hunting Save Large Carnivores? A comparative look at wolves, bears, and lynx: biology, social structure, and the consequences of trophy hunting.
Professor Josip Kusak is a European expert in large carnivore ecology and conservation. Based at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, he has spent more than two decades advancing scientific understanding of wolves, their population dynamics, movement ecology, and coexistence with humans. His work extends internationally through his roles as Visiting Scholar at Koç University in Istanbul and Adjunct Professor at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, where he contributes to collaborative research on large carnivore behaviour, telemetry, and conservation planning.
Professor Kusak has played a central role in national and EU-funded projects on wolves, bears, and lynx, shaping monitoring systems and evidence-based management across Croatia, Türkiye, and the wider European region. His expertise in field ecology, GPS tracking, wildlife immobilisation, and applied conservation biology has made him a trusted adviser to governments, protected areas, and international conservation bodies. He is widely recognised for his scientific contributions and his leadership in promoting sustainable, science-driven large carnivore management.