The LIFE MEDWOLF Project (Best practice actions for wolf conservation in Mediterranean-type areas – LIFE11 NAT/IT/069) took place in Italy, in the territory of Grosseto province (Tuscany) and in Portugal, in Guarda and Castelo Branco districts, since September 2012 to November 2017. This project has involved Italian and Portuguese agricultural and environmental associations, state institutions and research centers in a collaborative efforts to find solutions for mitigating the impact of wolves on small agricultural economies. A series of interventions have been undertaken, spanning from delivering livestock guarding dogs and night recovery areas for livestock, to international technical meetings to share experiences on livestock guarding dog management, public meetings with local communities, testing the efficacy and the costs associated to the introduction of new measures for protecting flocks from wolf depredations. We have also undertaken a systematic survey on wolf presence in Grosseto and Central Portugal, estimating wolf pack numbers and spatial distribution.
Experiences to increase the technical knowledge of interested parties were extremely important, and visits were organised for livestock owners to share their knowledge with others. The participation of a full range of sectors, from the environmental to the agricultural and the administrative ones has proven extremely challenging but rewarding, and most organizations are still collaborating in the project areas.
Visit the project website for more information www.medwolf.eu