Research overview: comparative analysis of coexistence successes and failures

This overview synthesises comparative studies that contrast successful and unsuccessful big-cat coexistence efforts to distil transferable lessons. It reviews analyses spanning lion, snow leopard, tiger, jaguar, and leopard programs, identifying recurring ingredients of success, local ownership, equitable benefits, credible institutions, layered interventions, attention to social drivers, and trust, and common causes of failure, underfunding, top-down imposition, neglect of perception, and weak evaluation. The literature cautions against assuming a single model transfers across contexts. The survey frames cross-case comparison as a route to cumulative knowledge in a field rich in case studies but historically short on synthesis, helping practitioners learn from the full record of what has and has not fostered durable coexistence.