Livestock Depredation by Wolves: Michael Francis (2004)

Summary/Abstract:
The state of Colorado expects recovering and dispersing wolf (Canis lupus and C. l. baileyi) populations to reach the state in the near future. Likewise, the western Distinct Population Segment of recovering gray wolves may be delisted soon. In preparation for this eventuality, the Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) has initiated the development of a state wolf management plan in an effort to deal with the many controversial issues surrounding this topic, which includes the possible depredation upon livestock and other domestic animals by wolves. This paper deals specifically with cowcalf and sheep depredation and examines the actual threat to Colorado’s livestock industry as well as the threat to individual ranchers should wolves establish packs in the state. I found that while wolves prefer wild game and are less likely to depredate livestock when game is available, wolves are opportunistic and will depredate livestock. Such depredations will not likely have any detectable negative effect on overall livestock production in the state but individual ranchers could experience significant losses through surplus killing or chronic depredations, with sheep producers more likely to experience such losses. If Colorado desires to monitor the effects of depredations by wolves, qualified staff must be employed and depredation trends monitored to evaluate the impacts. I also found that management of threats to livestock through the development of long-term strategies and identification of threat inducing factors are important for determining future allocations of resources in the application of combinations of wolf management tools to minimize risks to livestock producers. Such strategies will need to be employed along with active wolf management by USDA Wildlife Services or CDOW, particularly in areas where chronic depredations and conflicts do arise(assuming eventual de-listing of the gray wolf from Endangered Species Act protections)."

Conclusion:
"In many parts of the world wolf depredation is simply a part of doing business in the livestock industry. However, Colorado ranchers have not had to deal with this problem for many generations now and the possibility of loss due to wolves is an issue of significant concern. With the strong possibility of wolf populations re-colonizing into Colorado in the near future, the possibility of livestock depredations resulting from wolves is a real concern that could significantly affect individual livestock producers."

Livestock Depredation by Wolves: Michael Francis (2004) http://bit.ly/U7NdWB Rocky Mountain Wolf Recovery Annual Reports. Paper 16. University of Nebraska - Lincoln (7-26-2004) http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/

Análisis de la problemática del lobo (canis lupus) en Euskadi: J. Echegaray, A. Illana Martínez et al, (2006)

"El lobo es el depredador más problemático y a la vez emblemático de Euskadi. Ha dejado una huella sin parangón en el mundo animal en lo que respecta al patrimonio vasco tanto en la cultura como en la mitología (Altuna 1971, Barandiarán 1972, Murga 1978), y figura hasta en el escudo de Bizkaia.

En la Comunidad Autónoma Vasca están presentes 13 especies de carnívoros terrestres y el 47% de las mismas se encuentran incluidos en alguna de las categorías de amenaza recogidas en los ámbitos internacional, nacional y/o regional (Álvarez et al. 1995, Álvarez et al. 1998). El lobo, en cuanto a su estatus legal, no figura ni siquiera como especie presente en el Catálogo Vasco de Especies Amenazadas (Álvarez et al. 1998), tampoco es especie cinegética, pero es objeto de fuertes controles poblacionales por su conflictividad con la ganadería extensiva, especialmente el ovino de raza “latxa”. Su presencia en el Euskadi está sometida a fuertes variaciones temporales tanto en lo que se refiere a número de efectivos como a su área de distribución” (Sáenz de Buruaga et al. 1994, Echegaray et al. 2003).

En lo que atañe a la disponibilidad de presas naturales, existe una corriente de opinión generalizada de que los lobos en Euskadi sólo depredan ganado o son carroñeros y asiduos visitantes de basuras por carecer de ungulados silvestres. El corzo parece ser un factor relevante en la presencia del lobo y el posible asentamiento de nuevos grupos de lobos tendría como uno de los factores más importantes la presencia y densidad de corzos en dichas zonas. La zona ocupada por los lobos en Bizkaia es la de mayor densidad de corzos (comarca de Encartaciones) y presenta una discreta población de ciervos procedentes de repoblaciones cinegéticas en los años 80 en Karrantza. En áreas como el parque natural asturiano de Somiedo o el norte de Italia se observa una selección preferente por los corzos y los jabalíes (Llaneza 1996, Nores 2005, Mattlioti 1995)."

Sumario:
 

Análisis de daños al ganado
Datos oficiales
Ataques de perros
Introducción de Mastines
Mortandad no natural
Ecosistemas Holárticos
Soluciones posibles

Análisis de la problemática del lobo (canis lupus) en Euskadi: J. Echegaray, A. Illana Martínez et al, (2006) http://bit.ly/Pz57BR Sustrai: revista agropesquera, Nº. 77, 2006, págs. 48-51. (Publicada por el Gobierno Vasco: http://www.nasdap.ejgv.euskadi.net/ )

A project of economic-ecological analysis of wolf-livestock interactions in Spain: D.K. Kirby, L. Boitani & R. Ruiz (2004)

Summary:

"Extensive livestock systems are with increasing frequency facing complex issues balancing the social and economic needs of the farmers and the maintenance of traditional farming systems, with environmental and wildlife conservation considerations. This type of human-wildlife conflict is illustrated by the introduction of wolf conservation measures in Europe in areas where sheep are extensively managed. This has occurred in the Basque region of Spain, where sheep farmers are being severely affected by wolf predation. Although compensation payments are available to farmers, their real impact in reducing the social and economic costs of wolf presence have yet to be analysed, and it may be that the continuation of extensive sheep farming and improvement of livestock quality are being compromised at the current level of financial schemes. It is therefore desirable that the actual level of economic damage to extensive sheep farmers is assessed and quantified so that the trade-offs between wolf conservation and the preservation of the extensive livestock systems can be objectively accomplished. This project aims to provide policy guidelines for the management of livestock and wolf populations in the Basque country at both farm and landscape levels. The proposed methodology will take an interdisciplinary approach, including farmerparticipatory techniques and economic-ecological analysis and modelling. The project will integrate economic optimisation of livestock production with GIS-based predictive modelling of wolf movements and of wolf-livestock interactions. Integrating ecological and economic modelling within a GIS framework will allow area-specific predictions to be made of changes in wolf populations and/or sheep management practices on the economic impact of wolf predation on sheep farming. The output from this work will be used to make policy recommendations for the future management of the wolf-livestock interactions."

Conclusions:

"[...] Although compensation payments for livestock damage have been provided within Europe for over two decades, assessment of the effectiveness of these programmes in terms of farm livelihoods and wolf conservation has never been made. This research will therefore provide the first opportunity to develop and disseminate methodologies for assessing the efficacy of compensation payments in the dual context of wolf conservation and farming sustainability. In addition, the results produced will give rise to the development of appropriate policy guidelines in this field.

The project’s ultimate objective is to produce policy guidelines for reducing conflicts arising between wildlife and human interests in Spain. It is anticipated that this methodology could be applied to other wildlife-human interactions, both within and outwith Europe. Although set within a unique set of ecological, cultural and economic circumstances, these issues will have similar underlying principles to which the same approach may be taken."

A project of economic-ecological analysis of wolf-livestock interactions in Spain: D.K. Kirby, L. Boitani & R. Ruiz (2004) http://bit.ly/NZJ2PN Publicado por Centre international de hautes études agronomiques méditerranéennes: http://www.ciheam.org/
 

Improving coexistence of large carnivores and agriculture in S. Europe: COEX (European Comission, 2004-2008)

Objective
To develop the necessary legal and socio-economic conditions for the conservation of large carnivores in the target areas by reducing conflict situations that affect the conservation of these species, through a participatory approach.

Map of general location of the project areas

Actions and means involved
The main fields of activity involved in the present project will be
• The implementation of the use of effective damage prevention methods, such as the use of electric fences, high-quality and well-trained livestock guarding dogs, the optimal use of traditional fences and the management of livestock in order to reduce the danger of depredation.
• Raising the awareness of the general public and of farmers on the ways of coexistence between large carnivores and human activities.
• The improvement of mitigation systems such as damage compensation to turn them into tools that can effectively reduce the economic damage farmers suffer.
• Management actions to prevent conflict situations caused by stray dogs and bears feeding on garbage and the accidental killings of wolves and bears during wild boar hunts.
• Raising awareness of farmers about the potential economic benefit that non-consumptive use of carnivores can provide.
• The transfer of experience and best practice from areas that have developed efficient ways to solve the conflicts onto areas that report similar problematic conflict situations.
• Monitoring the effectiveness of the implemented measures in order to identify particular situations where the measures can work best and to find optimal combinations of strategies for different contexts.
 

Expected results
• The amount of damage on livestock, beehives and crops has decreased by 20%.
• The use of effective damage prevention techniques is known to 80% of the farmers in the involved project areas.
• The attitudes and knowledge of farmers and of the general public about large carnivores have improved.
• Effective compensation systems exist in the target areas.
• An action plan for the management of stray dogs is in place and accepted by the local authorities.
• The awareness of farmers about the potential economic benefit they can gain from the presence of carnivores has increased.
• The numbers of habituated bears has decreased.

Specie targeted: Canis lupus

Ecology: Wolves are generalist predators; they commonly prey according to availability of prey in the areas they inhabit. Their diet may include medium to large prey such as roe deer and wild boar (Sus scrofa), as well as rabbits, invertebrates, vegetables and carcasses. Domestic livestock, particularly sheep, are killed for food. A pack is generally a family unit that originates from a mating pair established in a territory. The relationships between the members of a pack are extremely dynamic, but dominated by a very well established hierarchy. Wolves live in packs of variable size, depending on the area they live in. In Southern Europe packs are usually composed of the mating pair and their offspring only. Generally, only one pair mates in each pack, usually the dominant one, so-called alpha pair, but exceptions have been recorded both in Europe and North America. An average of six pups per litter are produced after a two month-period of gestation. Wolves inhabit extremely diverse areas, and their presence has been recorded virtually everywhere humans do not persecute them. Human disturbance and prey availability are the variables that influence their presence the most.

General distribution of the specie at European and national level and population trends: The actual European wolf consists of four large nuclei: the Scandinavian – Carpathian, the Dinaric – Balkan, the Italian and the Spanish ones. The overall population was reduced after WWII mainly due to human pressure, and has been recovering since the early 1970s. It is now expanding naturally into areas where it was locally extinct. The European wolf population is now estimated at around 15,000 individuals. In Spain, the population is expanding south of the Duero river, while in the Alps it is regaining areas of the Swiss and French part of the mountain range from the Italian part. The trend of the European wolf population is locally stable but in many areas increasing.

Size of the population targeted by the project (e.g. n° of individuals, % of European and/or national population): The project will include actions in selected areas within all the partner countries. Information will be given on a country basis.
Portugal: The Portuguese wolf population holds approx. 300 individuals (2% of the European wolf population), 90% of which inhabits the area north of River Douro (the Duero River in Spain). They are in continuity with the Spanish population. The study area includes two sites: the wolf range south to Douro River, and the central part of the population north of it. The former is isolated from the other Iberian wolf nuclei and is made of 6 packs with approx. 30 individuals (10% of the total Portuguese wolf population). The latter includes 12 packs with a total of approx. 60 wolves (20% of the total Portuguese wolf population).
Spain: The Spanish wolf population counts more than 2,000 animals, concentrated mainly in the north-western part of the country. Castilla y León region hosts approx. 1,000-1,500 wolves, representing 50-75% of the national population. The region south of the river Duero was recently recolonised by the species. Approximately 20 packs live inside this area, for a total of 100-140 individuals. This is 5-7% of the national population and 0.9% of the European population.
France: According to recent surveys the French wolf population amounts to approximately 40-50 individuals and is limited to the French Alps, where the species has expanded from the Italian Alps. As far as the bear is concerned, there are two population nuclei in the Central Pyrenees with approx. 10 individuals, and 1 population nucleus of 5-6 individuals ca. in the Western Pyrenees.
Italy: the Italian wolf population amounts to approx. 500 individuals (3% of the European population). Wolves are expanding in Umbria region, where signs of presence have been recently found in the Monte Cucco area. In the Abruzzi Region, hosting three of the project sites (i.e., Abruzzi National Park (PNALM), Majella National Park (PNM) and Gran Sasso – Monti della Laga National Park (PNGL)) there are around 100-120 individuals, the populations in the three parks probably being connected. This is 30% of the national population. The three parks represent most of the central Italian population of bears, of a small guestimated size of approx. 30-40 individuals, i.e. 70% of the National population and 0.07% of the European one.
Croatia: The Croatian wolf population seems to be stable around 150 individuals. This animal causes extensive damage on livestock (mostly sheep), and this causes a low level of human acceptance. The Croatian brown bear population numbers 400 – 600 individuals ca. over a range of 11,800 km2. Bears cause increasing damage on human activities, which includes livestock rising, agricultural fields and orchards. This also causes the fear of humans in areas where the species was not previously present and is now expanding into.

Threat 1: Increase of LC-human conflict due to inadequate use of damage prevention measures.

Threat 3: Negative attitude of local communities and farmers

Threat 4: Resentful farmers due to inefficient compensation systems

Threat 5: Human caused mortality due to accidental killing during wild boar hunting

Threat 6: Cumulative effect of damage caused by stray dogs

Threat 7: Economic discontent of farmersConservation measures already taken or proposed for the species at Community or national level: Wolves are at least partially protected in all the project countries. In Spain they are protected only south of the Duero River. In the remaining countries they are protected nationwide. The wolf is a species included in the appendix II of the Bern Convention and in Appendix II of the Habitat Directive for only those populations south of river Duero in Spain (target of the present project). The remaining wolf population is included in appendix IV of the Habitat Directive. All the countries participating to the present project have adhered to the Bern Convention and implemented the Habitat Directive through National Protection Laws.

Improving coexistence of large carnivores and agriculture in S. Europe: COEX (European Comission, 2004-2008) http://bit.ly/OAJJth (Ver COEX: http://www.life-coex.net/Spain/Background_Spain.htm )