Edited by Luigi Boitani, Professor, Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Rome La Sapienza, Italy, and Roger A. Powell, Professor Emeritus, Department of Biology, North Carolina State University, USA

Luigi BOITANI is Professor of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology at the University of Rome, Dept of Biology and Biotechnologies, and Affiliated Professor at the Department of Natural Resources, Idaho University, Moscow, USA. He is the current (2009-2011) President of the Society for Conservation Biology. His main scientific interests are on a) the social ecology of carnivores, particularly wolves and bears on which he has been working since 1972; b) patterns and models of species distributions based on GIS tools; and c) conservation planning theory applied to species and protected areas, with emphasis on the African and European continents. He has served as member of the IUCN's Species Survival Commission since 1973 and as member of its Steering Committee since 1994. He is also the Chair of the Large Carnivore Initiative for Europe, a SSC Specialist Group which is a regular consultant to the European Union. He is author of more than 260 scientific papers, 9 books and 80 technical reports.

Roger POWELL is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Biology, North Carolina State University, and in the interdepartmental program for Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation. He is also an Affiliate Professor in the Wildlife Biology Program at the University of Montana and a frequent instructor at the Wilderness Field Station of Coe College. Over the past 30 years, his research has emphasized how limiting resources affect animals, especially predatory mammals. His research has led to diverse applications through state wildlife agencies, the USDA Forest Service, the US Fish & Wildlife Service, and the National Park Service. He has written or co-written 3 books (1 in 2 editions), edited 1 book and 5 special sections for journals, and written over 75 peer-reviewed papers since 1972.

Cheryl S. Asa, Saint Louis Zoo, USA
Julie Betsch, University of Montana, USA
Luigi Boitani, Sapienza Università di Roma, Italy
Urs Breitenmoser, University of Berne, Switzerland
Christine Breitenmoser-Würsten, KORA, Switzerland
Marc R. L. Cattet, University of Saskatchewan, Canada Paolo Ciucci, Department of Biology and Biotechnologies, Sapienza Università di Roma, Italy
Deana L. Clifford, California Department of Fish and Game, USA and Wildlife Health Center, University of California, Davis, USA
Hilary S. Cooley, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, USA
David Christianson, Montana State University, USA
Kerry R. Foresman, The University of Montana, USA
Mark R. Fuller, US Geological Survey and Boise State University, USA
Todd K. Fuller, University of Massachusetts, USA
Mourad W. Gabriel, Integral Ecology Research Center, USA and University of California, Davis, USA
Jean-Michel Gaillard, Université Lyon 1, France
Eric M. Gese, Utah State University, USA
Duncan Halley, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Norway
Mark Hebblewhite, University of Montana, USA
K. Ullas Karanth, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bangalore, India
Marcella J. Kelly, Virginia Tech, USA
Frederick F. Knowlton, Utah State University, USA
John D.C. Linnell, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Norway
Annette Mertens, Institute of Applied Ecology, Rome, Italy
Bernardo Mesa, Virginia Tech, USA
L. Scott Mills, University of Montana, USA
Michael S. Mitchell, US Geological Survey and University of Montana, USA
Alessio Mortelliti, Sapienza Università di Roma, Italy
James D. Nichols, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, USA
Erlend B. Nilsen, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Norway
John Odden, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Norway
Morten Odden, Hedmark University College, Norway
Manuela Panzacchi, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Norway
Kenneth H. Pollock, Murdoch University, Australia
Roger A. Powell, North Carolina State University, USA
Gilbert Proulx, Alpha Wildlife Research & Management Ltd., Canada
Carlo Rondinini, Sapienza Università di Roma, Italy
Michael K. Stoskopf, North Carolina State University, USA
Carole Toigo, ONCFS, Gières, France
Greta M. Wengert, Integral Ecology Research Center, USA and University of California, Davis, USA
Claudia Wultsch, Virginia Tech, USA
Barbara Zimmermann, Hedmark University College, Norway