A livestock guard dog programme overseen by Rewilding Portugal has just reached its impressive target, with the 101st dog handed over to a local farmer. By reducing livestock predation, the programme will support the recovery of the endangered and ecologically important Iberian wolf.

An article recently published by the Wildlife Unit of the University of Aveiro, in partnership with Rewilding Portugal and Zoological (Lino et al., 2023), which includes data collected as part of the LIFE WolFlux project, highlights the impact of predation by stray dogs on livestock and reveals a greater representation of wild ungulates in the diet of the Iberian wolf south of the Douro River.

Brands have been slowly moving towards more sustainable and environmentally conscious production. Wildling Shoes, based in Germany, already has a long history of this type of production and has now developed, in partnership with Rewilding Portugal, a new shoe called Perto, which goes even further. A shoe that supports producers who live in a positive way with the Iberian wolf, supported by the LIFE WolFlux project.

Rewilding Portugal, together with Rewilding Europe and Nature Tourism Development, developed another training for nature guides after the success of the training carried out in 2021. This time within the scope of the LIFE WolFlux project, the training, focused on wolf tourism , intended to train nature guides that already exist in the territory or intending to develop this activity, related to this emblematic and endangered species, so that responsible tourism can be carried out in relation to it in this territory.

Fourteen civil society entities are making a public appeal to the Secretary of State for Nature Conservation to prevent the new compensation system for damage caused by the Iberian wolf from threatening coexistence with this endangered species in Portugal.

The workshop “The legal framework of the livestock guarding dog in Portugal” took place at the end of March 2021 and brought together national entities to help clarify the situation of these dogs in legislation and promote their use as an effective measure to prevent damage caused by Iberian wolves or other predators.

In a recent social study conducted by the LIFE WolFlux project, almost half of key actors interviewed considers that it is possible for the wolf to live in the region, but only if certain conditions are met.

A male Iberian wolf south of the Douro River was captured by camera traps with severe injuries caused by an illegal trap. The LIFE WolFlux project is working to reduce social barriers to help in the survival of this species in the region.

Complemented by other coexistence measures, the programme will reduce livestock predation by Iberian wolves, enabling the recovery of this endangered carnivore.