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 second phase being the projects LIFE94 NAT/IT/000575, LIFE95 NAT/IT/004801 and LIFE95 NAT/IT/005907. 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, LIFE94 NAT/IT/001077 and LIFE95 NAT/IT/004802) was run by the national Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food. The other (LIFE92 NAT/IT/013001, LIFE94 NAT/IT/00607 and LIFE95 NAT/IT/004800) was run by the Abruzzo National Park authority.
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OBJECTIVES
Note that this project concerns contributions from WWF Italia in the second phase of the project. LIFE92 NAT/IT/013002 dealt with contributions of WWF Italia in the first phase.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 WWF-Italy, aims to improve the conservation status of two of these species: the brown bear in the eastern Alps - in collaboration with project partner MRAAF - and the Abruzzo chamois in central Italy - in collaboration with project partner ANP. It was conceived as part of a broader programme on large carnivores carried out by WWF International.
Brown bear:
Conservation actions aimed to facilitate the spontaneous re-colonisation of the Alps by the brown bear, as part of an overall strategy for its conservation in the Alps.
Abruzzo chamois:
The objective was to increase the numbers and geographical range of the surviving population through a re-introduction and restocking programme in suitable areas within its historic range outside the Abruzzo National Park. Re-introductions were planned in the Gran Sasso and Maiella mountain ranges. Monitoring and research on the re-introduced animals was foreseen.
RESULTS
This sub-project made an important contribution to the conservation of the two species targeted. In particular, the conservation status of the Abruzzo chamois improved as a result of re-introductions successfully establishing new populations outside the national park. Important measures were completed to facilitate the brown bear’s recolonisation of the Alps.
The species-specific achievements of this sub-project were:
Brown bear:
One of the main outcomes was the production of an “Action Plan for the Brown Bear” distributed to all parties involved with bears in the Alps. To achieve this, the project defined a global strategy for the conservation of the brown bear in the Alps and undertook pilot projects for the management of the bear’s food resources.
The beneficiary lobbied local and national authorities for the creation of international protected areas and of wildlife corridors for the bears. This included targeting Slovenian public authorities for better conservation actions in areas where the bears recolonize Italy from. This included policies of compensation for victims of bear damage to reduce reprisals by, for example, farmers.
The project conducted a campaign to raise public awareness and support for conservation of the bear and carefully monitored the return of the bear.
Abruzzo chamois:
The re-introduction programme was successfully completed. The animals bred well in captivity and in the wild and by the autumn of 1996, there were 38 animals in Maiella National Park and 33 individuals in the Gran Sasso range. Thanks to this project, important information was also learnt on the captive management of chamois and a feasibility study completed 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 two species targeted. In particular, the conservation status of the Abruzzo chamois improved as a result of re-introductions successfully establishing new populations outside the national park. Important measures were completed to facilitate the brown bear’s recolonisation of the Alps.
The species-specific achievements of this sub-project were:
Brown bear:
One of the main outcomes was the production of an “Action Plan for the Brown Bear” distributed to all parties involved with bears in the Alps. To achieve this, the project defined a global strategy for the conservation of the brown bear in the Alps and undertook pilot projects for the management of the bear’s food resources.
The beneficiary lobbied local and national authorities for the creation of international protected areas and of wildlife corridors for the bears. This included targeting Slovenian public authorities for better conservation actions in areas where the bears recolonize Italy from. This included policies of compensation for victims of bear damage to reduce reprisals by, for example, farmers.
The project conducted a campaign to raise public awareness and support for conservation of the bear and carefully monitored the return of the bear.
Abruzzo chamois:
The re-introduction programme was successfully completed. The animals bred well in captivity and in the wild and by the autumn of 1996, there were 38 animals in Maiella National Park and 33 individuals in the Gran Sasso range. Thanks to this project, important information was also learnt on the captive management of chamois and a feasibility study completed on further introductions in the Sibillini National Park and Sirente-Velino Regional Park.