Thema - Loading
Life WolfAlps EU Life WolfAlps EU Life WolfAlps EU

General Information

Improving wolf-human coexistence through a participatory approach is the challenge and the main goal of the project, to guarantee the long-term conservation of the transboundary wolf population.

Project Title

Coordinated actions to improve wolf-human coexistence at the alpine population level

Acronym

LIFE WOLFALPS EU

Reference

LIFE18 NAT/IT/000972

Project Time Frame

01/09/2019 – 30/09/2024

Total Project Budget

11,939,693 €

EU Financial Contribution

7,029,000 €

Partenaires du projets

LIFE WolfAlps EU is an international team working to mitigate the impact of wolves on livestock breeding, find a balance between the world of hunting and the presence of predators, counteract poaching, manage wolf-human related issues and disseminate correct information about the species based on scientific data.

Background

The alpine wolf population is naturally expanding over the Alps since the nineties, and today it reached every alpine country and some lowland areas: the need for an integrated transboundary approach is necessary to solve wolf-human issues.

Wolf depredation on livestock is a recurrent issue where effective prevention systems are still lacking and ancient prejudices persist, generating social conflict. Guarantee the long-term conservation of the Alpine wolf population by improving wolf-human coexistence through a participatory approach is the challenge and main goal of the project.

Goals

In this second project LIFE WOLFALPS EU (2019-2024), the ultimate goal is to improve wolf-human coexistence, but this time and for the first time at the wolf alpine population level, by implementing coordinated actions over the entire Alpine ecosystem, both where the wolf has been present for 20 years (Western Alps) and where the process of re-colonization has just started (Central-Eastern Alps).

  1. Population-level surveillance, management and conservation of wolves in the Alps.
    1. The main objective of our project is to overcome the current fragmented practices of wolf management (both at local and country level) and achieve for the first time in Europe an overall population-level conservation, management and surveillance. Actions will be transferable and repeatable to be homogeneously effective on the large scale. We will establish a tight transboundary network of professionals, start long-term transboundary monitoring and provide high quality data about these wolves at population level. 

    2. Specific objectives are to:

      • Develop and strengthen a Wolf Alpine Network at technical and Institutional level.
      • Estimate the status of the entire alpine wolf population considered as a biological unit and estimate the impact of the threats to conservation.
      • Detect and control wolf-dog hybridization events and injured wolves.
      • Decrease the level of poisoning and poaching.
  2. Decrease of human-wolf conflicts and promotion of coexistence.
    1. In a variety of actions we will explore what drives conflict “hot-spots”, and develop solutions. We will explore public attitudes towards wolves, and use this for targeted educational and communication activities to enhance knowledge on wolves and promoting co-existence. 

    2. Specific objectives are:

      • Decreasing the impact on livestock husbandry by implementing new effective preventive approaches.
      • Increasing knowledge on wolves among hunters, shepherds, local communities, students, and citizens, and counter mass media disinformation.
      • Evaluating the role of wolves in predator-prey-hunters dynamics with direct hunter participation, to favor hunter-wolf coexistence. 
      • Developing wolf ecotourism to favour economic sustainability of predator presence.
      • Promoting coexistence through wolf-oriented activities, products and eco-tourism packages as a key to discovering the biodiversity, history and culture of the Alpine region.
Keep in touch

Subscribe to the newsletter

The latest news from the project

Life WolfAlps Life WolfAlps Life WolfAlps

Seen a wolf? Tell us about it!