PAN Parks Majella, Italy is involved in the project LIFE Wolfnet to develop ideal models for wolf protection and management in the Apennines. The 4-year-long project aims also to apply the management model in other protected areas in the APE (Apennine Park of Europe) network.

The project aims at developing ideal models for wolf protection and management in the Apennines in a coordinated way. Moreover, an important objective is to export a management model to other protected areas and/or non-protected territories of the APE (Apennine Park of Europe) network so that it is sustainable on the long run and is adapted to the local ecological and social-economical characteristics.
Photo: MNP Archives
Through the project they aim to reduce wolf-livestock conflict, fight back the phenomenon of illegal mortalities, reduce the sanitary risks able to affect negatively the wolf population dynamics and minimize the impact of human activities that can cause disturbance at the reproductive sites.

Main actions of the project include:
• creation of an Institutional Network for the unification of decision-making procedures concerning wolf management
• implementation of the assessment procedures for damages caused by wolf to livestock
• development of specific prevention strategies of wolf predation on livestock, reduction of the wolf impact on breeding activities and improvement of the tolerance towards the species
- implementation of diagnostic, investigational and specialistic forensic activities contrasting the illegal persecution on wolves
• reduction of the sanitary risks for the wolf through the evaluation and management of syntopic canine populations and their interactions with wolf
• protection of wolf reproductive packs and precocious survey of risk situations throughout the use of GPS telemetry.

The project involving 3 national parks, 1 province, a public health diagnostic institute and an NGO
starts this year and will end in 2013. Cooperating partners are Parco Nazionale della Majella, as coordinating beneficiary, Parco Nazionale del Pollino, Parco Nazionale Foreste Casentinesi, Provincia dell’Aquila, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Lazio e Toscana, Legambiente as associated beneficiaries.


For further information:
Edit Borza, Communications Manager
eborza@panparks.org