Wildlife Management in Sardinia: Between Biodiversity Conservation and Conflicts with Human Activities

Wildlife management represents an increasing challenge in Mediterranean ecosystems. Biodiversity conservation must be reconciled with agricultural activities, public safety, and the sustainable use of natural resources. Sardinia provides a particularly relevant case study because of its high biodiversity, insular endemism, extensive protected areas, and the recent expansion of several wildlife populations. This study provides a preliminary assessment of human–wildlife conflicts in Sardinia, focusing on three representative species: the Sardinian deer (Cervus elaphus corsicanus), the Sardinian wild boar (Sus scrofa meridionalis), and the hooded crow (Corvus cornix). Information was collected through a multi-level approach combining a structured search of scientific databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus), analysis of institutional and administrative sources, a broader web-based search, and direct field observations in an area adjacent to the Gutturu Mannu Regional Natural Park. Available data indicate a marked recovery of the Sardinian deer, currently estimated at approximately 13,000 individuals, whereas reliable regional population estimates for wild boar and hooded crow remain unavailable. Administrative data nevertheless indicate increasing wildlife-related impacts, including damage to agricultural production and a substantial rise in road accidents. Field observations also suggested heterogeneous spatial distributions of deer and wild boar and highlighted the limitations of currently available population estimates. Overall, the results reveal a major lack of standardized long-term population data, which limits the assessment of population density, habitat carrying capacity, and ecological imbalance. Wildlife management in Sardinia should therefore move from predominantly compensatory and reactive measures toward an adaptive, science-based strategy integrating systematic population monitoring, habitat and agro-silvo-pastoral management, conflict-prevention measures, ecological connectivity, and, where scientifically justified, targeted population control. Such an approach is essential to achieve a sustainable balance among wildlife conservation, ecosystem functioning, animal welfare, public safety, and human activities.