Livestock predated by wolf (Canis lupus) in agroforestry systems of Lazio Region: first evidences. - 73rd Annual Meeting of EAAP in Porto. On September 5th to 9th, 2022 -
Author(s)
Cristiano Tiberi
Date Issued
2022
Type
conferenceObject
Abstract
This study is a preliminary investigation of the impact of wolf predation in the Lazio Region (central Italy) during the period 2016-2021. The data collected and aggregated on a provincial scale concern the five provinces of the region: Frosinone, Latina, Rieti, Rome, and Viterbo. However, it was not possible to recover the data in a homogeneous and standardized way, resulting in some missing information. The data were retrieved from some administrations and used to create a database, from which an Excel file was extracted. Descriptive statistical analyses were conducted.
The overall economic losses for the regional livestock sector during the six years under study amount to approximately 400,000 euros, with a total of 2,422 animals killed. Of these, more than 80% are sheep, a figure attributable to the sheep farming system based on extensive transhumance techniques, which make this species particularly vulnerable to wolf attacks. The economic losses related to sheep amount to 226,000 euros.
By analyzing only the sheep sector, the impact of wolf predation on sheep was calculated year by year. In 2017, the worst year, 493 sheep were killed out of a sheep population of over 500,000, with an incidence of 0.094%. Although the value is minimal on a regional scale, at a local level predation can have a strong impact on the economic equilibrium of marginal agro-silvo-pastoral systems, increasing the risk of illegal defensive actions, such as poaching and the use of poisons.
In conclusion, it is essential to plan coexistence strategies between marginal areas and the presence of wolves.
Conference(s)
73rd Annual Meeting of EAAP in Porto. On September 5th to 9th, 2022