Claws, laws, and coexistence: The paradox of decentralization in carnivore conservation governance in two federal countries

The success of large carnivore conservation is unfortunately often associated with increased negative interactions between humans and predators. In cases where conflicts are increasing, a pressing need to reform wildlife governance mechanisms is often recommended. However, comprehensive understanding of existing governance practices remains limited. This study addresses this gap with a systematic comparative analysis of multi-level governance effectiveness in carnivore conservation by examining tiger conservation in India and wolf management in Germany. We developed an analytical framework grounded in multi-level governance theory with a review of 42 legal policy documents and 46 expert interviews. The data was collected between years 2022–2025. Our analysis reveals a critical paradox: decentralized systems exhibit different degrees of operational centralization , fundamentally altering outcomes. India's ‘centralized decentralization’ achieves policy coherence through federal oversight but limits an effective bottom-up management, while Germany's ‘fragmented decentralization’ enables inclusiveness but creates policy inconsistencies. Key findings demonstrate that formal stakeholder participation mechanisms do not guarantee effective governance. Both countries show challenges in translating participatory frameworks into meaningful decision-making, creating collaborative gridlock where institutions seem to limit rather than facilitate consensus-building. Results challenge prevailing assumptions about decentralized conservation governance revealing that success depends on governance coherence, i.e., alignment between vertical coordination through polycentric structure and horizontal integration with network governance features. We suggest a hybrid multi-level governance model as empirically motivated, combining central coordination with meaningful local authority. Findings have immediate implications for carnivore conservation globally. This study advances multi-level governance theory and provides evidence-based recommendations for institutional innovations navigating the complex political ecology of human-carnivore coexistence.