“We have progressed well beyond the empty forest to early views of the ‘empty landscape’ in desert, grassland, savanna, and forest ecosystems across much of planet Earth.” – William Ripple
This is the conclusion that Ripple and his colleagues reached when reviewing the state of the world’s large herbivore populations. Similar observations have been made in reviews of apex predator populations, and large-animal extinctions represent the anthropogenic defaunation of the planet writ large. Efforts to counter the decline in large-animal populations have culminated in several approaches, chief among them rewilding—the reintroduction of locally extinct species to their former native ranges.
The logic behind rewilding is compelling: well-protected breeding populations can be used to recover and rehabilitate large areas that have lost the ecological functions once maintained by large herbivores and apex predators. However, the implementation of rewilding faces both practical (how do you reintroduce large animals) and philosophical (what species can ethically be reintroduced in places where people live) challenges.
Innovative Direction
The Rewilding Team is a community of Duke students passionate about conservation, biodiversity, and habitat connectivity. The broad range of expertise within the Duke student body—from environmental policy and ecology to business and finance—gives us a unique capacity to tackle the complex problems that rewilding presents. We hope to connect with conservation and restoration practitioners engaged in this work across the state and to contribute to rewilding research, fieldwork, and discussion centered on projects in North Carolina.
Faculty Advisor
Faculty Advisor
2nd Year Lead
1st Year Lead
Activities
Duke REWILD is exploring how restoration can support both wildlife recovery and thriving human communities. In eastern North Carolina, we are studying how Pocosin restoration affects red wolves, black bears, wild turkeys, bobwhite, deer, and their habitats. By combining camera traps, acoustic monitoring, LiDAR, aerial imagery, and community-based research, we are measuring where and why wildlife populations recover—and where restoration creates new challenges. We are also developing and testing practical strategies to reduce human-wildlife conflict and support long-term coexistence. Our goal is to create knowledge, methods, and tools that help communities restore wildlife successfully and sustain those gains over time.
Past and Future Events
Dr. Alex Jensen Seminar (April 2026): Hear from community ecologist Alex Jensen as we explore range shifts in North American mammals. This talk examines whether coyotes can functionally replace wolves, how
perceptions of species “nativeness” evolve over time, and how rural population decline is driving rewilding processes in parts of the world.
Dr. John Donaldson Visit (March 2026):
Team Rewild had the pleasure of hosting Dr. John Donaldson, a globally recognized expert in cycad rewilding, as part of our ongoing Rewild speaker series. His talk explored the distinctive ecological and evolutionary challenges that cycads present in restoration contexts, contributing to their unique vulnerability to overexploitation. The event fostered a dynamic exchange of ideas, highlighting both the scientific rigor and interdisciplinary collaboration required to advance conservation efforts.
Dr. Peter Kareiva Visit (Oct 2025):
We were recently joined by Dr. Peter Kareiva, whose powerful seminar on wolf restoration reframed rewilding as a form of ecological renewal rather than simple species recovery. Through his leadership founding Team Wolf, Dr. Kareiva highlighted how targeted predator reintroductions can serve as strategic levers for ecosystem restoration catalyzing trophic cascades, regenerating landscapes, and redefining the relationship between human systems and the wild.
Grant Fowlds Visit (Oct 2025):
Team Rewild had the honor of hosting renowned rhino conservationist Grant Fowlds, who shared gripping stories from the frontlines of rhino rewilding in southern Africa. His talk illuminated the intricate blend of ecology, innovative management, and community strategy required to restore species once extirpated from the landscape, reminding us that rewilding is as much about people and place as it is about wildlife.
