2022 will be a big year for LIFEstockProtect, as the practical livestock protection actions will be kicking off. Here’s the progress achieved so far from the start of the project’s second year.
Scatdogs ready for the field
Scatdogs or “wolf sniffers” are vital for identifying and preventing depredation events. In the project regions, they are being trained by the Naturschutzhunde who, as of this month, have helped 3 scatdog teams complete their certification; more are planned for March. They aim to have at least 20 teams ready to be deployed by the end of the project.
Progress for livestock protection courses
The project consortium has worked hard this month to finalise the modules for the livestock protection courses in time for kickoff in Spring. LIFEstockProtect will undertake trainings with livestock owners at competence centres in Austria, Bavaria and South Tyrol, and a diverse array of topics will be covered, from the basics of herd protection to setting up barriers on difficult terrain. The dates for the first courses will be released on the LIFEstockProtect training site soon. They are highly recommended for all those interested in learning about optimal livestock protection measures.
Shepherd training
A course for shepherding will be taking place in Salern, South Tyrol, from February to May. Within the framework of this, LIFEstockProtect will be hosting three modules: Working with herding dogs (26/03/2022), working with livestock guarding dogs (05/04/2022) and fence building (21-22/04/2022). You can register your interest in taking part on the Fachschule Salern website.
