Establishment of an Integrated Surveillance of the Wolf Status at the Alpine Population Level

The evaluation of the conservation status of the alpine wolf population will be based on the estimation of the following primary population parameters: wolf population size (number of reproductive units and number of wolves), distribution, effective wolf population size (or other genetic parameters). Other information will be taken into account: level of connectivity with the Dinaric/Central European/Apennine population, detection of hybrids, health status evaluation. 

Therefore thanks to the Preparatory Action A5 we will have an established alpine wolf population scale surveillance strategy, based on shared protocols, to join transboundary monitoring information. A cost/benefit estimation will allow to optimize the sampling effort (especially in areas where it does not snow in winter). The surveillance will be conducted on a Country level (each country will produce its own annual report), then, we will put together the datasets at population level, involving Switzerland and Germany as well, and produce annual reports on the Alpine wolf population status with trend evaluation assessment over the 4 years. The work of putting together the international report will be done by the Scientific committee, and every year a different country will have the leadership and budget the amount of work to do it.  Hence, based on the data collected, we will define the current Alpine wolf population status (whether favourable or unfavourable), set short-term conservation objectives and define the role of each nation in pursuing or maintaining them.