WPIU prevention activity and support to the farmers in Lombardy and in the Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park
In our previous article we presented the work carried out by the WPIU to date with an in-depth look at the year 2023 in the Piedmont and Valle d’Aosta territories. In this news, we will focus on the territory of Lombardy and the Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park, which, although in different territories, have conducted important support activities for small-scale farmers who do not have access to the funds made available by the regions for prevention and compensation.
As described in the recently published ‘Large Carnivores in the Lombardy Region 2023 Report‘, the 5 WPIU teams in 2023 carried out 67 interventions to support Lombardy’s farms, mainly for preventive purposes, with the free loan of 44 prevention kits, 25 signs warning of the presence of guard dogs and the verification of the functionality of prevention equipment already existing or previously delivered. The WPIU interventions concerned a livestock farms mainly of small to medium-sized and non-professional breeders for whom the farming system is characterised by unguarded or semi-wild grazing, with the breeder’s presence in the pasture not occurring every day. 108 predation events occurred in 2023, mainly in the provinces of Sondrio, Brescia and Como, and mainly to the detriment of sheep and goats, as in previous years.
The graph illustrates the percentages of the types of domestic animals preyed upon. Source: Report Large Carnivores in the Lombardy Region 2023.
The inspections carried out showed that most of the damaged breeders were totally lacking any preventive system. In fact, the report shows how the lack of preventive measures at the time of the predation event also leads to a significantly higher number of dead, injured and missing animals than in cases where preventive measures are present.
The graph illustrates the number of domestic/ farm animals that have been subject to predation in the absence of preventive measures or in the presence of preventive measures. Source: Report on large carnivores in the Lombardy Region 2023.
In order to provide more widespread support in the area, ERSAF engaged three experts (an expert in prevention, an agronomist with experience in sheep and goat breeding and a veterinarian with experience in livestock protection dogs). The Province of Sondrio also engaged an expert who, during the summer, assisted breeders, particularly those affected by predation, with specific inspections, aimed at verifying the risk situation of the farm and investigating the feasibility of the various prevention measures, in relation to the grazing area of the animals and the specific characteristics of the farm. This support has made it possible to identify, on a case-by-case basis, the most effective strategies for protecting livestock and, at the same time, has constituted a moment of direct training and growth for breeders with regard to the various problems concerning the presence of large carnivores. We have discussed this in dedicated articles on our website: https://www.lifewolfalps.eu/en/category/damage-prevention/. The breeders themselves were then involved in training events where they were able to exchange views and bring their experiences and requests for further information. These activities were accompanied by the support of an expert on livestock protection dogs, with targeted visits to farms that had recently purchased dogs or were planning to do so, for expert and advice on optimal management of the dog’s presence.
Wolf damage prevention systems and signs on guarding dogs in the province of Sondrio. Photo: Lombardy Region Archives, ERSAF.
In 2023 the WPIU carried out 20 preventive interventions in the Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park area. In one case an intervention was carried out to improve damage prevention systems at the Istituto Agrario di Feltre following predation by sheep in a fence that had not been supplied and installed as part of the LWA EU project.
In 2023, 30 kits of electrified fences were delivered to as many amateur breeders operating in the area outside the park, in addition to the 29 fences delivered in 2022. Small non-professional breeders are a reality that characterises this territory and which must be supported in the process of adaptation to the presence of the wolf. In fact, it is worth highlighting the growing demand for support (mainly for preventive purposes) from amateur breeders, who generally own very small numbers of animals of endangered or particularly valuable breeds compared to professionals, and, as mentioned, do not have access to the funds made available by the regions for prevention and compensation. The 59 fences that have been delivered have made it possible to defend more than 400 animals, mostly sheep and goats, from wolf attacks. Park staff also worked to organise public information evenings, also in support of the WPIU activities, during which the results achieved with the use of the electrified fences were also illustrated.
Positioning of electrified fences in the Belluno Dolomites National Park, San Gregorio. Photo: Archive PNDB/E. Vettorazzo.
As can be seen from the activities illustrated, there is no one-size-fits-all solution, as some areas require more effort than others. Changes due to the adoption of new livestock management and the appropriate use of prevention systems require time and commitment on the part of farmers and must be supported by the long-term availability of financial resources.
Reducing the impact of wolf predation on domestic livestock to economically acceptable and socially tolerable levels, through the identification and adoption of defence and prevention systems and the adaptation of breeding systems to the renewed presence of the wolf, is therefore a strategic priority action to guarantee the maintenance and development of traditional livestock activities and the long-term conservation of the wolf in the Alpine territory.
