Palphramand, K. L., Warren, D. A., Smith, G. C., and Cowan, D. (2026), Mammal Review, https://doi.org/10.1111/mam.70031). Open Access

This literature review is particularly relevant to several prominent themes in UK ecology, including human-wildlife coexistence, invasive species management, reintroductions, and wildlife disease. Using a systematic literature review and a standardised impact assessment framework (Generic Impact Scoring System, GISS), the authors identified and ranked 200 conflicts involving 48 terrestrial mammal species in Great Britain.

The study found that the highest-ranked conflicts were measurable on an economic scale, particularly those associated with damage to agriculture and forestry, with total estimated economic costs in Great Britain exceeding £0.5 billion. Disease reservoirs and zoonotic disease were the most frequently reported conflict types, with non-native species tending to have greater impacts in this regard.

Species such as badger, rabbit, deer (particularly sika) and grey squirrel featured prominently in this review, reflecting ongoing policy debates around bovine TB control, deer management and invasive species.

Importantly, the authors argue that management decisions should consider both the costs and ecological benefits of species, highlighting the need to move beyond conflict narratives towards coexistence, particularly as several conflict-associated species are themselves conservation priorities or subjects of active reintroduction programmes such as beaver.