The Netherlands is experiencing a major wildlife comeback of species such as the wolf, several ungulate species and semi-domesticated large grazers. However, there are strongly conflicting views within society on this wildlife comeback, creating an uncertain future for human-wildlife relationships. In a country as densely populated as the Netherlands, humans and wildlife constantly interact, knowingly, or more often, unknowingly. These behavioural interactions are a form of interspecies communication that current wildlife management often ignores by focusing on managing wildlife numbers. WildlifeNL considers humans as integral parts of the natural system, acknowledging interspecies communication processes between wildlife and humans as sympatric organisms. From this perspective, we propose to develop an innovative interspecies communication approach to wildlife management in the Netherlands, by combining the latest insights from environmental social science, philosophy, behavioural ecology, and engineering. More specifically, we will co-create novel smart Internet of Things technologies that help understand and steer human-wildlife behaviours. We will examine how these technologies can improve human-wildlife coexistence but also study the broader social, ethical and philosophical dimensions of an interspecies communication approach to wildlife management. Moreover, we will investigate new governance arrangements and communication strategies that can help transition towards co-managing human and wildlife behaviour. Finally, WildlifeNL will integrate and upscale the outcomes through developing transformation pathways for wildlife management in the Netherlands, using participatory scenario planning and serious gaming. We expect several scientific breakthroughs. Our development and testing of smart technology has the potential to revolutionize the science of human-wildlife behavioural ecology. Moreover, our interspecies communication approach presents a paradigm shift in terms of how human-wildlife relationships are conceptualized. Ultimately, as our main societal breakthrough, we envision the Netherlands to become a globally leading example of a nature-inclusive society where abundant wildlife populations can live among thriving human communities through proactive management of human-wildlife behaviour.
