Status and ecological effects of the world's largest carnivores

This influential review synthesized the global status of the largest carnivores, including big cats such as lions, tigers, leopards, and jaguars, documenting widespread range contraction and population decline, and detailing the ecological consequences of losing apex predators. It argued that these declines, driven by habitat loss, persecution, and prey depletion, ripple through ecosystems via trophic cascades, with effects on prey, vegetation, disease, and even climate-relevant processes. The review is a touchstone for understanding why large carnivore conservation matters beyond the species themselves. It provides essential context for climate-habitat research by framing the broad pressures on big cats and the ecosystem stakes of their decline across the world's wild landscapes.