PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The Abruzzo region in central Italy supports remnant populations of three of the peninsula’s most threatened large mammals: the brown bear (Ursus arctos); the wolf (Canis lupus); and the Abruzzo chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica ornate) - a regional sub-species found only within the confines of the Abruzzo National Park. All three species are listed on Annex II of the Habitats Directive. There is an additional small nucleus of brown bears in the eastern Italian Alps, as bears recolonise naturally from neighbouring Austria and Slovenia
The situation of the Abruzzo chamois was highly precarious at the start of the project. For the other two species, the future was also uncertain because they were seriously threatened by major changes to large areas of formerly suitable habitat. Human activities and pressures had made many areas increasingly inhospitable and unsafe for large mammals and degraded habitat. Furthermore, damage to crops (by bears) and attacks on livestock (by bears and wolves) were creating human-animal conflict and leading to reprisals from farmers.
This project had two phases, with the first phase being the project LIFE92 NAT/IT/013001. The presentation below does not distinguish between the two phases which are seen as part of a united whole.
This project should also be seen in conjunction with its sister projects run by different beneficiaries as part of a coherent overall joint project on the three large mammals in Italy. One two-phase project (LIFE92 NAT/IT/013000 and LIFE95 NAT/IT/004802) was run by the national Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food. The other (LIFE92 NAT/IT/013002 and LIFE95 NAT/IT/005907) was run by the Worldwide Fund for Nature - Italy).
OBJECTIVES
The overall multi-beneficiary project had a set of common aims. The beneficiary of each individual two-phase project also set specific objectives for their elements.
The overarching common objective was to improve and maintain the conservation status of the three target large mammal species in Italy. The overall planned approach for each species was:
Brown bear - reduce human-bear conflict and facilitate and encourage the on-going natural re-colonisation from Austria and Slovenia in the Alps.
Wolf - reduce human-wolf conflict and develop a captive-breeding programme to establish a nucleus of “pure” wolf genes.
Abruzzo chamois - establish new populations beyond the only remaining one in the Abruzzo National Park through reintroductions
The projects also sought to improve monitoring and understanding of the three target species.
This particular two-phase, sub-project, co-ordinated by the Abruzzo National Park aimed to improve the conservation status of all three threatened large mammals - including a local subspecies of brown bear (Ursus arctos marsicanus) within the national park in central Italy. The specific measures envisaged for each species were as follows:
Marsican bear - planned actions focused on improving the bears’ food supply:
Establishing artificial supplementary feeding sites
Planting fruit-bearing trees and shrubs
Introducing incentives for farmers to grow crops palatable to bears
Installing beehives to improve pollination of fruit-bearing trees and shrubs.
Wolf - planned measures intended to:
Protect its habitat and improve feeding opportunities
Establish a captive “pure wolf gene” breeding population
Raise awareness to reduce conflicts with people who only perceive the wolf as a dangerous threat.
Abruzzo chamois - actions foreseen aimed at:
assist the WWF (a LIFE sub-project partner) to establish two populations, totalling at least 30-35 animals in the Gran Sasso and Maiella mountain ranges
protecting important habitat to favour natural expansion.
RESULTS
This sub-project made an important contribution to the conservation of the Marsican brown bear and the Abruzzo chamois. It successfully implemented the conservation measures envisaged for the bear and established new populations of chamois through reintroductions. For the wolf, the sub-project was only partially with regards to the planned actions.
The specific achievements of this sub-project were as follows:
Marsican brown bear:
All planned actions on improving the bear’s food supply and thus reducing the likelihood of damage to crops and livestock and subsequent human reprisals were successfully carried out. The project provided artificial feeding sites, offered incentives to farmers to grow crops palatable to bears, planted fruit trees and shrubs, and installed beehives. Important monitoring actions revealed that the Marsican bear population might be as low as 30 individuals - previous estimates gave 40-100 animals.
Wolf:
The project successfully carried out actions to raise public awareness and support for conservation measures for the wolf. Studies revealed that it was not necessary to undertake measures to increase the availability of wild food so this planned action was dropped. Plans to establish a captive breeding nucleus of pure wolves were not successful. Efforts had to be abandoned as only two wolves were found and they immediately died in captivity
Abruzzo chamois:
The project protected around 2 200 ha of pastures for the chamois within Abruzzo National Park. The population within the area had risen to 80 individuals by the end of the LIFE project. The project developed much learning on the captive management of chamois and successfully worked on the re-introduction programme, co-ordinated by LIFE partner WWF Italy. The animals bred well in captivity and in the wild. By the autumn of 1996, there were 38 animals in Maiella National Park and 33 individuals in the Gran Sasso range. The project also completed a feasibility study on further introductions in the Sibillini National Park and Sirente-Velino Regional Park.This sub-project made an important contribution to the conservation of the Marsican brown bear and the Abruzzo chamois. It successfully implemented the conservation measures envisaged for the bear and established new populations of chamois through reintroductions. For the wolf, the sub-project was only partially with regards to the planned actions.
The specific achievements of this sub-project were as follows:
Marsican brown bear:
All planned actions on improving the bear’s food supply and thus reducing the likelihood of damage to crops and livestock and subsequent human reprisals were successfully carried out. The project provided artificial feeding sites, offered incentives to farmers to grow crops palatable to bears, planted fruit trees and shrubs, and installed beehives. Important monitoring actions revealed that the Marsican bear population might be as low as 30 individuals - previous estimates gave 40-100 animals.
Wolf:
The project successfully carried out actions to raise public awareness and support for conservation measures for the wolf. Studies revealed that it was not necessary to undertake measures to increase the availability of wild food so this planned action was dropped. Plans to establish a captive breeding nucleus of pure wolves were not successful. Efforts had to be abandoned as only two wolves were found and they immediately died in captivity
Abruzzo chamois:
The project protected around 2 200 ha of pastures for the chamois within Abruzzo National Park. The population within the area had risen to 80 individuals by the end of the LIFE project. The project developed much learning on the captive management of chamois and successfully worked on the re-introduction programme, co-ordinated by LIFE partner WWF Italy. The animals bred well in captivity and in the wild. By the autumn of 1996, there were 38 animals in Maiella National Park and 33 individuals in the Gran Sasso range. The project also completed a feasibility study on further introductions in the Sibillini National Park and Sirente-Velino Regional Park.