Description
Although the wolf began its comeback in the Alpes-Maritimes almost 30
years ago, the cohabitation of the species with livestock farming remains
extremely complicated and tense to this day.
In the Préalpes d'Azur, the herds are difficult to protect (dense forest
cover, rugged karstic geology) and the large number of hikers means that
conflicts with guard dogs are commonplace. What's more, very little is known
about the current state of the wolf population (exact number of packs, breeding
success, etc.).
There is often a big difference between farmers' perceptions of the wolf
population and the biological reality of the species in the field. This lack of
knowledge about the species is a key factor in the difficult cohabitation
between wolves and livestock, as not knowing where, when and how many wolves
are present in a grazing area is a constant source of concern for livestock
farmers. As a result, derogatory shootings are carried out indiscriminately,
based on the number of wolves estimated at national level but without taking
into account the wolf situation sector by sector. Finally, mistrust of official
figures does not create a climate conducive to an objective perception of the
real situation of the species. Conversely, the local over-population of wolves
leads naturalists to believe that the State wants "the wolf's skin"
and can lead to a feeling of mistrust and non-collaboration on the part of
naturalists in monitoring the wolf. It is therefore necessary, for both
livestock farming and the wolf population, to establish a dispassionate
dialogue with mountain stakeholders based on rigorous scientific observations
and data concerning the wolf population actually present in a given mountain
range.