International Conference on Large Carnivore Habitat Management in Albania – 4PETHABECO Project

The International Large Carnivores Habitat Management Conference took place from 25 to 27 February 2026 in Tirana, Albania. The conference was organized within the framework of the 4PETHABECO project, implemented under the Interreg IPA ADRION programme. The project, in which the Science and Research Centre Koper (ZRS Koper) also participates, strengthens cooperation among partners from Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Greece, and North Macedonia to address socio-environmental challenges connected with large carnivores.

The event was aimed at knowledge sharing, fostering collaboration, and identifying innovative solutions to ensure the long-term conservation of large carnivores and their coexistence with humans. The programme addressed ecological, social, and governance dimensions of large carnivores habitat management. Discussions emphasized that successful conservation depends not only on scientific knowledge, but also on participatory approaches, spatial planning, and effective cross-border cooperation.

More than 90 researchers, experts, policymakers, and representatives of civil society from across Europe attended the conference. Researchers from the Mediterranean Institute for Environmental Studies at ZRS Koper also contributed through presentations and the organization of a workshop.

4PETHABECO is supported by the Interreg IPA ADRION programme under the Interreg Funds (European Regional Development Fund and IPA).