“We can live with them”

Castellví, with a wolf. CENTRE SIGNATUS.

IF THE HERD IS ACCOMPANIED BY DOGS AND THE CONDITIONS ARE RIGHT, THERE ARE NO ATTACKS

Irene Casellas / icasellas@elpuntavui.cat

Ignasi Castellví is one of the leading experts on wolves in Catalonia. He is a member of Signatus, an entity dedicated to the study, dissemination and conservation of this species. Together with ten other environmental entities, Signatus forms part of the platform Grup Llop Catalunya, which aims to recover wolf populations in our country.

You argue that the wolf does not do harm where it breeds. Is coexistence possible without harmful consequences for livestock farming?

Livestock farming is already on its last legs - it is only maintained thanks to aid. Whether there are wolves or not is irrelevant, what we have to do is help the sector. Wolves don’t mean its demise. Wandering wolves will stay here if they find favourable conditions: water, forests, spaces to move, tranquillity and natural prey. If they find flocks, this will be perfect for them, but it is not strictly necessary if they find natural prey. Coexistence is perfectly feasible.

The farmers are not so sure...

We know of a shepherd from Burgos who has 1,200 sheep, which is a lot, and hasn’t suffered any attacks because he’s doing things right. If things aren’t done right, wolves will attack. The herd is still an easy prey and if a wolf attacks a domestic animal, it can cover its needs while using up less energy. There isn’t as much resistance, there’s not as much danger of getting hurt. This means that a wolf with certain characteristics – such as being alone, which is happening here now, since we only have solitary specimens – has an easier time hunting domestic livestock than wild prey. But if the herd is accompanied by dogs and the conditions are right, there are no attacks.

What are these conditions?

Above all, having dogs that can defend the livestock, and efficient fences to be able to leave the animals at certain times. Allowing them to roam at all hours because there isn’t enough grazing and other jobs have to be done has its consequences. That’s why we have to herd the animals, as our grandparents did. What has happened is that wolves disappeared, our grandparents’ the way of doing things disappeared and, now wolves are back, returning to that way of working isn’t feasible, because things have changed, and people can’t spend all their time herding. Today, most shepherds, though not all, have other jobs. Farmers must also have legal safeguards. There can’t be a situation whereby a shepherd doesn’t want to have dogs for fear that they attack a cyclist or hiker who approaches the flock.

What’s the solution?

It’s important that the authorities help them and that there are awareness campaigns so that people who go to the mountains leave the flocks and dogs alone. If we join forces together, coexistence with the wolf is viable. The thing is, we all have to want to do it. Dogs should be offered to farmers and they should also be helped to train the animal to do this work. Not all dogs can do it.

Why are wolves necessary?

First of all to clean up the forests, because in places where the wolf hunts there is much more decomposition. And this decomposition will eventually make the earth more fertile. They also prevent the excess consumption of plants and trees. It’s the ecology of fear. That is, when a herbivorous animal lives in a place that knows there is a predator, it’s more alert.