Vivre avec les loups

<p> The french government will soon decide whether or not to <em>increase</em> from <em>36</em> to <em>42</em> the number of grey wolf (<em>Canis</em> <em>lupus</em>) authorized to be <strong>culled</strong> in response to depredation pressure on livestock. This raises heated debates between environmentalists, farming organizations and the scientific community.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <img alt="17_1__-_copie-1456577103" src="https://d3v4jsc54141g1.cloudfront.net/uploads/project_image/image/283040/17_1__-_copie-1456577103.jpg"></p> <p>  </p> <p> Meanwhile, almost no <em>simple</em>, <em>accessible</em> and <em>efficient</em> method to prevent wolf depredation on livestock has been offered to livestock owner. Only few studies have focused on wolves’ <strong>behavioral</strong> <strong>response</strong> to <strong>low-cost</strong> and <strong>non-lethal</strong> livestock protection methods. Thus, we would like to conduct a short-term <u>research project</u> in order to study accessible, low-cost and easily implementable livestock protection systems, based on a real understanding of wolves' predatory behavior. </p> <p>  </p> <p> This research project will be carried out within the french association <strong>Lupus</strong> <strong>Laetus</strong>, which has as main activity rehabilitation of wolves and bears in Russia, and research on Russian and Finnish large carnivores.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <a href="https://tse4.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.Mabf45c985f198caaf999be08e29ea7ddo0&amp;pid=Api" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="https://tse4.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.Mabf45c985f198caaf999be08e29ea7ddo0&amp;pid=Api"></a></p> <p>  </p> <p> Our first objective is to test the <strong>neophobic</strong> <strong>reaction</strong>, i.e. fear of novelty, that some new and low-cost elements (such as aluminum objects) can evoke to wild wolves. Wild canid predators seem inherently wary, and might thus be more inclined to display strong <strong>avoidance</strong> or <strong>withdrawal</strong> from novel objects placed in their natural environment. Low-cost and easily implementable stimuli have been scarcely tested, and little is known about wolves’ behavioural response to them.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <img alt="Img_3943-1457795539" src="https://d3v4jsc54141g1.cloudfront.net/uploads/project_image/image/289716/IMG_3943-1457795539.JPG"></p> <p>  </p> <p> Our second objective is to test the effectiveness of a <strong>shock</strong> <strong>collar</strong> <strong>prototype</strong> to train wolves not to attack livestock. Negative stimuli, such as electric shocks, can teach predators to avoid certain areas or certain types of prey through a so-colled "aversive <strong>conditioning"</strong> process. The collar prototype imagined by <em>Vladimir</em> <em>Bologov</em>, Russian wolf expert, and developed by <em>Lupus</em> <em>Laetus</em>, is based on the same theoretical basis as previous shock collars, although the collar is now fitted to the domestic animal to be protected. These tests will be conducted on wild and captive wolves.</p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p> <img alt="Img_0539-1457007421" src="https://d3v4jsc54141g1.cloudfront.net/uploads/project_image/image/285319/IMG_0539-1457007421.JPG"></p> <p>  </p> <p> Fieldwork will primarily be carried out in Tver region, <u><em>Russia</em></u>. Our local partner for field research is the <u><em>wolf</em></u> <u><em>rehabilitation center</em></u> located in Bubonitsy village, who will provide facilities and wolf subjects for experimental work.  In addition, we will conduct fieldwork in Northern Karelia, <u><em>Finland</em></u>, where the association <em>Lupus</em> <em>Laetus</em> is currently conducting field investigations on the ecology of two wolf packs. We would also like to carry out captive experiments in a <u><em>European wolf </em></u><em><u>park</u></em>, which still needs to be defined.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <img alt="" src="http://www.eco-volontaire.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/Image-3.png"></p> <p> The outcomes and results of this project will be communicated to the <strong>scientific</strong> <strong>community</strong>, but also to <strong>local</strong> <strong>stakeholders</strong> involved in wolf depredation problems. Our aim is to publish scientific and popular articles, as well as guidelines for the implementation of livestock protection systems. We wish to make the results of my research directly available to local rural communities in various countries (e.g. France, Italy, Portugal, etc.)</p> <p>  </p> <p> <img alt="Img_0238-1457795238" src="https://d3v4jsc54141g1.cloudfront.net/uploads/project_image/image/289713/IMG_0238-1457795238.JPG"></p> <p>  </p> <p> <u><i>Who am I ?</i></u></p> <p> <em>I am fond of Nature, and about to complete a "Forest and Nature Conservation" MSc programme (from which I will soon graduate). I am about to finish an internship within the association Lupus Laetus on livestock protection systems. The amazing experience I had in the Finnish and Russian taïga has further stimulated my commitment to resolving human-wolf conflicts. I thus decided to continue working with Lupus Laetus as a volunteer.</em></p> <p>  </p> <p> <img alt="Photo-1457285750" src="https://d3v4jsc54141g1.cloudfront.net/uploads/project_image/image/286660/photo-1457285750.jpg"></p>