Wolf–Hunting Dog Interactions in a Biodiversity Hot Spot Area in Northern Greece: Preliminary Assessment and Implications for Conservation in the Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli Forest National Park and Adjacent Areas
Hunting dog depredation by wolves triggers retaliatory killing, with negative impacts on wildlife conservation. In the wider area of the Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli Forest National Park, reports on such incidents have increased lately. To investigate this conflict, we interviewed 56 affected hunters, condu...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-11-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/11/3235 |
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| author | Yorgos Iliopoulos Eirini Antoniadi Elzbieta Kret Sylvia Zakkak Theodora Skartsi |
| author_facet | Yorgos Iliopoulos Eirini Antoniadi Elzbieta Kret Sylvia Zakkak Theodora Skartsi |
| author_sort | Yorgos Iliopoulos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Hunting dog depredation by wolves triggers retaliatory killing, with negative impacts on wildlife conservation. In the wider area of the Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli Forest National Park, reports on such incidents have increased lately. To investigate this conflict, we interviewed 56 affected hunters, conducted wolf trophic analysis, analyzed trends for 2010–2020, applied MAXENT models for risk-map creation, and GLMs to explore factors related to depredation levels. Losses averaged approximately one dog per decade and hunter showing a positive trend, while livestock depredations showed a negative trend. Wolves preyed mainly on wild prey, with dogs consisting of 5.1% of the winter diet. Low altitude areas, with low to medium livestock availability favoring wolf prey and game species, were the riskiest. Dogs were more vulnerable during hare hunting and attacks more frequent during wolf post-weaning season or in wolf territories with reproduction. Hunter experience and group hunting reduced losses. Wolves avoided larger breeds or older dogs. Making noise or closely keeping dogs reduced attack severity. Protective dog vests, risk maps, and enhancing wolf natural prey availability are further measures to be considered, along with a proper verification system to confirm and effectively separate wolf attacks from wild boar attacks, which were also common. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:46:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9998f19d4af644f2b03c8e07e96669ae |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:46:17Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-9998f19d4af644f2b03c8e07e96669ae2023-11-22T22:07:29ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152021-11-011111323510.3390/ani11113235Wolf–Hunting Dog Interactions in a Biodiversity Hot Spot Area in Northern Greece: Preliminary Assessment and Implications for Conservation in the Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli Forest National Park and Adjacent AreasYorgos Iliopoulos0Eirini Antoniadi1Elzbieta Kret2Sylvia Zakkak3Theodora Skartsi4WWF Greece, Lempesi 21, GR-117 43 Athens, GreeceCallisto Wildlife Society, Mitropoleos 123, GR-54621 Thessaloniki, GreeceWWF Greece, Lempesi 21, GR-117 43 Athens, GreeceManagement Body of Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli Forest National Park, GR-68400 Dadia, GreeceWWF Greece, Lempesi 21, GR-117 43 Athens, GreeceHunting dog depredation by wolves triggers retaliatory killing, with negative impacts on wildlife conservation. In the wider area of the Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli Forest National Park, reports on such incidents have increased lately. To investigate this conflict, we interviewed 56 affected hunters, conducted wolf trophic analysis, analyzed trends for 2010–2020, applied MAXENT models for risk-map creation, and GLMs to explore factors related to depredation levels. Losses averaged approximately one dog per decade and hunter showing a positive trend, while livestock depredations showed a negative trend. Wolves preyed mainly on wild prey, with dogs consisting of 5.1% of the winter diet. Low altitude areas, with low to medium livestock availability favoring wolf prey and game species, were the riskiest. Dogs were more vulnerable during hare hunting and attacks more frequent during wolf post-weaning season or in wolf territories with reproduction. Hunter experience and group hunting reduced losses. Wolves avoided larger breeds or older dogs. Making noise or closely keeping dogs reduced attack severity. Protective dog vests, risk maps, and enhancing wolf natural prey availability are further measures to be considered, along with a proper verification system to confirm and effectively separate wolf attacks from wild boar attacks, which were also common.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/11/3235<i>Canis lupus</i>hunting dogsdepredationprey selectionpredation risk mapsDadia Forest National Park |
| spellingShingle | Yorgos Iliopoulos Eirini Antoniadi Elzbieta Kret Sylvia Zakkak Theodora Skartsi Wolf–Hunting Dog Interactions in a Biodiversity Hot Spot Area in Northern Greece: Preliminary Assessment and Implications for Conservation in the Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli Forest National Park and Adjacent Areas Animals <i>Canis lupus</i> hunting dogs depredation prey selection predation risk maps Dadia Forest National Park |
| title | Wolf–Hunting Dog Interactions in a Biodiversity Hot Spot Area in Northern Greece: Preliminary Assessment and Implications for Conservation in the Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli Forest National Park and Adjacent Areas |
| title_full | Wolf–Hunting Dog Interactions in a Biodiversity Hot Spot Area in Northern Greece: Preliminary Assessment and Implications for Conservation in the Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli Forest National Park and Adjacent Areas |
| title_fullStr | Wolf–Hunting Dog Interactions in a Biodiversity Hot Spot Area in Northern Greece: Preliminary Assessment and Implications for Conservation in the Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli Forest National Park and Adjacent Areas |
| title_full_unstemmed | Wolf–Hunting Dog Interactions in a Biodiversity Hot Spot Area in Northern Greece: Preliminary Assessment and Implications for Conservation in the Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli Forest National Park and Adjacent Areas |
| title_short | Wolf–Hunting Dog Interactions in a Biodiversity Hot Spot Area in Northern Greece: Preliminary Assessment and Implications for Conservation in the Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli Forest National Park and Adjacent Areas |
| title_sort | wolf hunting dog interactions in a biodiversity hot spot area in northern greece preliminary assessment and implications for conservation in the dadia lefkimi soufli forest national park and adjacent areas |
| topic | <i>Canis lupus</i> hunting dogs depredation prey selection predation risk maps Dadia Forest National Park |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/11/3235 |
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