Project

COEXIST

Title

Wolf-livestock conflict in Tzoumerka National Park and comparisons with other protected areas of Greece

Year

2108 - 2019

Funding

WWF Greece

Coordinator

BCL-Biodiversity Conservation Lab

Collaborators

-

Project team

Dr. Vassiliki Kati. Coordinator 

Maria Petridou, agronomist, PhD student (BCL/UOI)

Dr. Yiorgos Iliopoulos, biologist (BCL/UOI)

Livestock depredation is one of the main wolf-human conflict issues both in Europe and worldwide. The aim of the project is to study and evaluate wolf-livestock conflicts in Tzoumerka NP and to compare our findings with other protected areas in Greece.

  • To assess and describe traditional free-ranging livestock raisers’ profile in Tzoumerka NP.
  • To record wolf depredation levels on cattle, sheep and goat herds as the main baseline metric of wolf-human conflicts in Tzoumerka NP.
  • To identify and evaluate the principal damage prevention methods adopted by local livestock farmers in Tzoumerka NP.
  • To assess levels of livestock guarding dog mortality due to the illegal use of poisoned baits as a major conservation problem in the area in Tzoumerka NP.
  • To evaluate satisfaction levels of livestock farmers regarding the national compensation system in Tzoumerka NP.
  • To compare the main results stemming from Tzoumerka NP with other similar studies
    previously completed in other protected areas and draw relevant conclusions. 

1.

Conduct 55 on-site interviews with livestock farmers within the boundaries of Tzoumerka National Park

2.

Data analysis

3.

Result dissemination

Livestock depredation is one of the main wolf-human conflict issues both in Europe and worldwide. The aim of the project is to study and evaluate wolf-livestock conflicts in Tzoumerka NP and to compare our findings with other protected areas in Greece. We have in particular set the following six research objectives: 1. To assess and describe traditional free-ranging livestock raisers’ profile in Tzoumerka NP. 2. To record wolf depredation levels on cattle, sheep and goat herds as the main baseline metric of wolf-human conflicts in Tzoumerka NP. 3. To identify and evaluate the principal damage prevention methods adopted by local livestock farmers in Tzoumerka NP. 4. To assess levels of livestock guarding dog mortality due to the illegal use of poisoned baits as a major conservation problem in the area in Tzoumerka NP. 5. To evaluate satisfaction levels of livestock farmers regarding the national compensation system in Tzoumerka NP. 6. To compare the main results stemming from Tzoumerka NP with other similar studies previously completed in other protected areas and draw relevant conclusions. © 2019 University of Ioannina and WWF Greece

Report

Petridou M., Iliopoulos Y., Kati V. 2019. Wolf-livestock conflict in Tzoumerka National Park and comparisons with other protected areas of Greece. University of Ioannina and WWF Greece. Ioannina, Greece, pp. 51.