WWF - Conservation news from or about the Alps

Monte Rosa - melting glaciers and changing borders in the Alps

2009-10-28

Monte Rosa, Italy / Switzerland - High alpine areas are feeling the impacts of climate change harder and faster than many other areas.

The Monte Rosa massif, one of the highest montains in Europe which sits between Italy and Switzerland, is seeing it borders beeing thrown into confusion.

There are nine glaciers in the massif, including the Gorner glacier, second largest in the Alps but also the glacier that is shrinking the fastest losing 290 metres during 2007 to 2008.

Glaciers might seem remote, but hundreds of millions of people worldwide depend on them for water supplies.

WWF European Alpine Programme participates in the opening of a new GLORIA research station in Italy

2009-07-13

The GLORIA (Global Observation Research Initiative in Alpine Environment 2001) project is a network of scientific research station in mountainous regions world-wide creted to measure the effects of climate change by monitoring the change in vegetation biodiversity at different altitudes (see http://www.gloria.ac.at ).The newly opened station in the Italian Alps includes state of the art research facilities and sophisticated meteorological technologies capable of recording and assessing the changes in soil temperature over time. Furthermore, a grid system has been laid out to allow botanists to monitor, describe and quantify over time, the vegetation composition and its potential migration to higher altitudes.At the opening event, participants observed field work being carried out on the highest of the alpine peaks in the area and were shown the use of the sophisticated technologies available to researchers to monitor vegetation cover, environmental temperature and humidity levels, as well as soil temperature. The scope, aim, technological sophistication and hard work involved in the project became abundantly clear to all involved. The project partners, including the WWF European Alpine Programme, who firmly support scientific research and are strongly committed to field work capable of fighting climate change, were enthusiastic in seeing the launch of this new project.

Sustainable holidays in the Alps

2009-05-19

As it happens, in the Alps the beauty of the scenery goes hand in hand with the natural richness and fragility of the environment. The goal of the WWF European Alpine Programme is to help conserve the most important natural areas in the Alps.

In this regard the promotion of sustainable tourism is an important measure to help preserve the very beauty we seek during our holiday escursions. Gîtes Panda (Panda holiday farms) were set up in 1994 by WWF France, Fédération des Parcs Francais, and Gîtes Rureaux. The concept has since spread to Italy, where Fattorie del Panda have become to dot the landscape offering sustainable stays to responsible tourists.

WWF Italy and WWF France intend to export this concept to the other Alpine countries, especially to ecologically important or sensitive areas: an idea the WWF European Alpine Programme strongly supports.
This will, in turn, give tourists the possibility of visiting the most outstanding areas in the Alps, whilst promoting sustainable tourism in the Alps.

There are a number of important features which characterize 'Panda Holiday Farms': they are usually situated in, or adjacent to, a protected area (whether a regional or natural park, or Natura 2000 site) and received the 'Panda' logo because they promote the protection, regeneration and knowledge of the surrounding environment. Many Panda Holiday Farms are also education centres: they organize environmental activities for schools, establish nature trails around their area and promote the use of sustainbale energies and correct waste managment.

To learn more about Panda holiday farms visit the French http://www.gites-panda.fr/ and Italian http://www.fattoriedelpanda.net/ websites

WWF volunteers help wolves by helping shepherds !

2009-05-19

The main aim is to improve acceptance of predators such as wolves, bears and lynx in the alpine range. This will be done by helping alpine farmers reduce predation damage through herd protection measures. An extra goal is to increase the understanding of these species in both city and mountain-dwellers.

Successful herd protection is essential

The re-colonization of Switzerland by lynx, bears and wolves can cause problems for the local population. These two species present a potential threat to sheep and goats during the summer months when herds are left to roam, often unattended, in the high mountain pastures. The implementation of specific herd protection measures can significantly reduce the frequency and severity of attacks by the large carnivores. Furthermore the maintenance of traditional shepherding can benefit the ecological quality of high mountain pastures and forests. Protection measures however, are often frowned upon by herd owners because they require additional work and expenditure.

Herd protection measures need help!

WWF volunteers will attend an introduction course. They will then be allocated to a farm for a period of time. During this period they will implement protection measures in accordance with a scheme developed in France called “PastoraLoup”. The volunteer’s role is to actively participate in the daily work routine: they will spend the night outdoors with the guarding dogs to stand watch over the herd; they will inform tourists on the role of guarding dogs and will explain which behaviours to adopt when encountering one. Volunteers will also help raise protective fencing in specific areas. An unforgettable experience. Nights spent out in the open, long walks following the herd in beautiful mountain ranges: volunteers will experience both the joys and hardships of a shepherd’s life. Participating in the ‘Help the shepherd’ programme is a concrete action you can take. You will help the environment, by promoting sustainable farming, and you will facilitate the wolves’ return to the Alps. It is also an extraordinary adventure!

Translated and adapted form an article published by WWF Switzerland. http://www.wwf.ch/de/tun/aktivwerden/freiwillig/hirtenhilfen/index.cfm

Bear protection measures for beehives and sheep herds in the Italian Alps

2009-05-18

As Mauro Belardi, WWF Italy’s representative in the European Alpine Programme, puts it: “The reduction of human-bear conflicts is at the core of Italy’s bear conservation strategies both in the Alps and the Apennines. Damage prevention or its speedy compensation are amongst the most important actions for the conservation of this species”.

The prolonged absence of bears from the Alps has meant a gradual loss of knowledge and know-how in the local populations as regards the best practices to avoid human-bear conflicts. WWF Italy together with local authorities is thus promoting a widespread program of education, particularly in areas in which the bears’ return is expected after a long absence.

Bears are ready to return, we must be prepared to welcome them back.

Adapted from and article published on http://www.wwf.it/client/ricerca.aspxroot=20319&parent=1979&content=1

A tumultous year for the Alps’ famous three (wolves, bears and lynx)

2009-01-20

The wolf population in the Alps appears to be on the increase.

There are now over 100 individuals in France and Italy, and approximately 40 in Germany. Records show that 8 individuals have now made it across the border from Italy into Switzerland with one sighted in the Obwald canton after an absence of 160 years.

Reception across the Alps has been mixed. Protection measures in France have caused a decrease of livestock predation despite the increase of the wolf population. This brought about a guarded acceptance of wolves by the local population.

In Valle d’Aosta, Italy, the reaction to the establishment of a new pack of wolves was altogether rather more negative, following a number of predations on livestock.

The Swiss’ welcome to the wolves has also been lukewarm, mostly caused by the predation on livestock during summer, which resulted in the sanctioned shooting of a few individuals.

Overall, it is quite clear that protection measures can be highly successful in limiting damage to domestic stock. This in turn leads to greater acceptance of the species. However, the implementation of protection measures is still rather limited, and takes place mostly after the wolves’ return instead of as a preventive measure.

In the border area between Italy, Germany and Switzerland, WWF is supporting a project focused on preparing for the arrival of bears (www.ursina.org). The Ursina Project aims at the implementation of livestock protection measures. Another goal is to inform the local population on how best to live with these majestic beings.

Bears have also had a tumultuous year. The crossing of a couple of individuals into Switzerland from Italy met with a sad end. JJ3, the overcurious male bear from Trentino Alto Adige, was shot following the authorization of the Swiss government. His much shyer mate MJ4 made it back to Italy unharmed.

A population of 25-30 bears is present in the Italian Alps and the good news is that approximately 8 cubs were born in 2008 in the Trentino region. This is all the more important since the corridor linking Italy to Slovenia (where most of the bears originated from) seems to be scarcely used lately, due to the Slovenians’ harsh hunting policies.

However, also in Italy the co-existence between man and bear in 2008 has not been an easy one. JJ5 (JJ3’s brother), has been wrecking havoc to livestock only 100km from Milan. JJ5’s behavior has emphasized the need for prevention measures in this area where the typical situation is of small, unguarded flocks. Easy prey for bears!

In 2008 WWF Italy (with the Italian Ministry of the Environment) lead an important prevention program focusing on training Italian environment officials on bear management issues, providing ‘bear-proof’ fencing and informing the local population on effective co-existence measures.

The situation in the Austrian Alps is rather dire for bears: only 2 of the 30 original bears were confirmed to be alive. Poaching still seems to be the most serious threat for the bears’ survival in this country.

Lynx have traditionally been considered the ‘ghosts’ of the Alps because of the difficulty in tracking them. The healthiest population in the Alps resides in Switzerland, with a stable, albeit small population of 100 individuals.

A population of about 20-30 individuals is also present on the French side of the Jura mountains. In 2008 a radio-collared lynx crossed the border into Italy’s Stelvio National Park.
Austria and Italy are said to have a few individuals each but little is known of their exact numbers and location.

In Germany there are three small populations (eastern Bavaria, Black Forest/Pfälzerwald and Mittelgebirge Harz/Central Germany), but sadly they are all isolated from one another.

WWF’s efforts in 2008 have concentrated particularly on the implementation of livestock protection measures since they have proved not only successful in guarding against bears ands wolves, but also in turning public opinion around in favour of large carnivores.

Work in 2009 will continue with renewed energy, gathering strength from the quiet knowledge that the “famous three” are amongst us once again!

ECONNECT- restoring the web of life

2008-12-01

With more than 30.000 species of animals and 13.000 plant species the biological diversity of the Alps is utterly extraordinary. 20.000 invertebrates, 200 nesting bird, 80 mammals, 80 fish, 21 amphibians and 15 reptile species! 39% of the European flora amongst which 417 endemic plants are found only in the Alps. However animals, and plants, need to migrate between different habitats- particularly in times of climate change. They are unable to stop at borders and stay within the fixed boundaries of protected areas so a new approach to the problem is needed.

To connect habitats, protected areas, and biodiversity hotspots and to reduce the fragmentation of populations is now universally recognized as the new frontier for Alpine conservation. 16 partners (five from Austria, five from Italy, three from France, one from Germany, one from Lichtenstein and one from Switzerland) joined forces to support the ambitious and multidisciplinary EU funded European Alpine Space Project. The Econnect project started in September 2008 and will continue until August 2011 with a financial investment of over 3 million euros. The first step of the project will involve the standardization of geographical data, identification of physical and legal barriers and then outlining of on a common methodology to pinpoint the corridors at a pan-european level. To begin, with the project will emphasize the implementation of guidelines and good practices in a pilot study thus forming a blueprint for action across the Alpine range.

To achieve these aims Econnect’s partnership includes national and regional administrations, international NGOs, research institutions and protected areas. WWF Italy represents the European Alpine Programme in this projects and will be concentrating on all the communication aspects of the Econect project.

(extract from WWF Italy website)

THE PARTNERS

Leader: University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna; Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology (FIWI) (A)
Other partners:
Ministero Ambiente, Italia (I)
Accademia Europe di Bolzano (I)
WWF Italia (I)
Parco Naturale Alpi Marittime (I)
Regione Autonoma Valle d’Aosta (I)
University of Innsbruck-Institute Ecology (A) Umweltbundesamt GmbH (A) National Park Gesäuse GmbH (A) National Park Höhe Tauern (A) Council of Department of Isere (F) Task Force of Protected Areas (F) Scientific research centre CEMAGREF (F) National Park Berchtesgaden (DE) CIPRA International (LI) Swiss National Park (CH)

Conservation network expands throughout Europe

2007-11-14

Brussels, Belgium – The European Commission has approved the extension of protected sites throughout Europe, a move that environmental groups believe will improve conservation efforts to protect the continent's most seriously threatened habitats and species.

The 4,225 newly designated Natura 2000 sites of specially protected areas cover about 90,000km² — an area roughly the size of Portugal — within four bio-geographical regions.

Sites were added in: the boreal region, which includes Finland, Sweden and the Baltic countries; the continental region, covering much of central Europe, including the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Italy, Germany and Poland; and the Atlantic seaboard region.

The pannonian region, which includes parts of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary, is a completely new addition to the network. Further updates to the Alpine region, including the Carpathian areas of Slovakia and Poland, plus an update of the Mediterranean region, are due later this year.

“We are extremely pleased by the European Commission’s decision to extend the Natura 2000 network,” said Andreas Beckmann, Deputy Director for WWF’s Danube-Carpathian Programme.

“This marks a major milestone for nature protection in Europe and is an achievement for WWF, which has been working for several years to support preparations for introducing Natura 2000 to new EU member states.”

WWF and its partners also played an important role in identifying and designating future Natura 2000 sites, as well as building capacity for their effective protection and management.

EU-wide protection and beyond
Natura 2000 is an EU-wide network of specially protected areas intended to ensure the long-term survival of Europe’s most valuable habitats and species, while supporting a healthy environment for EU citizens. It currently covers about 20% of the land territory of the EU’s older member states, and is in the process of being extended to its newest members in Central and Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean.

Natura 2000 is also expanding the network in marine areas, and even non-EU countries, including those in the Dinaric Arc and Turkey, are starting to follow similar conservation approaches as part of their efforts towards EU accession.

“The decision to extend Natura 2000 for the first time to Central and Eastern Europe, where much of the EU's greatest natural wealth lies, comes none too soon,” Beckmann added.

“The additional protection will help save many of these areas against mounting pressure from unsustainable development.”

The establishment of the Natura 2000 network also fulfills part of the obligations of the EU and its member states under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.

For further information:
Alberto Arroyo Schnell, Natura 2000 Coordinator
WWF International
Tel: +36 70 61 38 269
E-mail: alberto.arroyo@wwf.at

Andreas Beckmann, Deputy Director
WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme
Tel: +43 1 524 54 70 17
E-mail: abeckmann@wwfdcp.org

Climate Witness: Adrian Brunner, Switzerland

2007-03-25

My name is Adrian Brunner. I am 30 years old and live in Switzerland. I was born and raised in Birchwil near Zurich. I went to school in Winterthur and love spending my spare time in nature since I was a child. Snowboarding and bicycling are my passions.
English | 中国 | 日本語 | Italiano

When I was ten years old, I became an avid mountain biker. At the age of 21, after 12 years of intense training in the Elite Amateur category, I left the mountain bike circuit. I spent half a year on the American West Coast, where I learned to surf.

After returning to Switzerland, I finished a three-year commercial training programme and first worked in a metal company. But spending 11 or 12 hours a day in an office was not my idea of fun.

Move to the mountains
I decided to move to the mountains, more precisely to ski-resort town of Andermatt, where I work three or four days a week and spend the rest of my time doing outdoor activities. Andermatt is located in the heart of the Swiss Alps and lives mainly on tourism, one of Switzerland’s most important economic sectors.

I currently work in a snowboard and mountain bike shop, which I am in the process of taking over. My company sells snowboard and biking products along with the corresponding clothing and offers classes in both sports for visitors.

Like many other mountain resorts in Switzerland, Andermatt has been affected by climate change. I have experienced it first hand — winters begin later, and are milder and dryer, while early snow in the fall is often missing and rockslides are more frequent.

The European Alps are among the regions that warm faster than world average — about 1.5°C compared to pre-industrial temperatures. This warming leads to less snow that stays for shorter periods of time in lower altitudes. The winter and spring seasons are expected to become wetter. Whether this additional precipitation leads to snow coverage or not will heavily depend on actual weather patterns and change from year to year. Winters with good snow coverage will still occur but become less frequent.

Christmas without snow
My shop generates about 75 per cent of revenue during the winter season, one-third alone over Christmas and New Year’s in December and January. This period is crucial for my business. However, today winter is full of surprises, everything is messed up.

In the past, winter used to start in October or November. Today the low-pressure systems over the Atlantic Ocean are missing, so there is no snowfall. My experience is that heavy snowfall doesn’t arrive until March, April or even May. For example, in November 2006 I was able to bike in shorts at an altitude of 2,000 metres.

When the hills remain green around Christmas time visitors don’t come to Andermatt for their holidays. Because of that I lose most of my annual turnover. Besides, a green Christmas also means that the season is essentially over. After that, visitors don’t arrive anymore because in their minds there won’t be any snow later in the season if there isn’t any for the holidays. Oddly enough, this regular pattern is locked in people’s minds. In a winter such as this year’s this mindset has led to a 50 per cent revenue loss for my hardware business (bindings, snowboards). On the clothing side it looks a little better. There I expect a drop of between 20 and 30 per cent.

Fighting climate change with concrete and synthetic foil
For tourism destinations such as Andermatt the consequences of global warming involve additional expenses:

Crevasses are no longer covered with snow, making the preparation of glacier runs increasingly more difficult.
Infrastructures to protect transportation routes, settlement areas and tourism facilities must be expanded, which requires additional funds.
Ski-lift companies fortify their foundations with concrete because melting permafrost renders their summit stations unstable.
Due to a rockslide, the road to Andermatt was closed for four weeks in the summer of 2006, which lead to a massive decline in visitor numbers.
Since summer 2005, Andermatt has covered the top part of its glacier with synthetic foil to prevent the access ramp to the summit station from melting too quickly. An expensive form of protection indeed. The foil does help in places, but it cannot save the glacier from dying.

Betting on summer
I am convinced that I won’t be able to continue operating my winter business until I retire – my shop won’t be able to cope economically with the predicted climate change. And over the medium term I probably won’t be able to keep my ten employees during the winter season. To survive, I will have to expand my operation’s summer offerings. But to do that, I will have to come up with new ideas first.

I would also like to have a family some day. But the climate change makes me feel unsure and concerns me. What kind of planet will my children and their children have to live on?

Scientific review

Reviewed by: Dr Eric Martin, CNRM-GAME/GMME/MC2, Météo-France, Toulouse, France

Cryospheric changes due to observed climate warming are obvious almost everywhere in the world. The observations of Adrian for Andermatt, in the heart of the European Alps, are fully consistent with peer reviewed literature.

I also observed similar changes in the French Alps. Ten years ago, with colleagues, we digitized climatological archives from an experimental field of my lab. Over the last 40 years, the snow cover duration diminished by one week per decade. This site was the Col de Porte (1320m, near Grenoble in France) and was selected last year as a national indicator of climate change in France.

The climate warming in this region has enhanced since the 1980’s. Winters are becoming milder, with less snow at lower elevations in winter. The permafrost, which strengthens the cliffs are melting and therefore rock slides occur more frequently. The warmer summers enhance glacier melting.

IPCC Report Working Group 1: chap 4: change in snow, ice and frozen ground http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/wg1/ar4-wg1-chapter4.pdf
IPCC report Working group 2 chap 1 : Assessment of observed changes and responses in natural and managed systems (§ 1.3.1, Table 1.2) http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/wg2/ar4-wg2-chapter12.pdf
Laternser,M. andM. Schneebeli, 2003: Long-termsnowclimate trends of the Swiss Alps (1931-99). Int. J. Climatol., 23, 733-750.
Global Change and Mountain Regions: An Overview of Current Knowledge Series: Advances in Global Change Research , Vol. 23 , Huber, Uli M.; Bugmann, Harald K.M.; Reasoner, Mel A. (Eds.), 2005, 650 p.

All articles are subject to scientific review by a member of the Climate Witness Science Advisory Panel.

Slovenia to embark on massive bear hunt

2007-02-14

Gland, Switzerland – Although one of the first European countries to protect the brown bear, Slovenia is considering increasing hunting quotas for brown bears, an act that may decimate the country's entire population.

The Slovenian government has announced that it will allow a hunting quota of 106 bears in 2007. Add in the number of bears killed each year on roads and railway lines, and the mortality rate jumps to as high as 130 individuals.

“This massive hunt will have dramatic consequences for the species throughout Europe as the bear population in Slovenia is shared with many other countries in the region," said Gerald Dick of WWF's Global Species Programme.

“The population is especially important as it is a source for reintroducing bears into Austria, Italy and France, whose populations are minimal and fragmented,” Dick added.

Before Slovenia joined the European Union, around 50 bears were killed each year by hunters. In 2002, the government drastically increased the quota to 100 individuals. In that year, 116 bears were killed.

The Slovenia government claims there are 500–700 bears in the country. Based on reliable local information, WWF believes the lower estimate is more realistic.

As the quota does not include the large number of road casualties (in 2005, 40 bears were killed on roads), the overall mortality rate of Slovenian bears could be close to 30 per cent of the population. WWF is asking for a clarification of the population size and justification for an official hunting quota of over 20 per cent per year, which is unscientific and unsustainable.

“As Slovenia will take over the EU presidency in early 2008, it should use this opportunity to prove it can be a leader in conservation by applying the EU guidelines on managing large carnivores,” said Dick.

“These guidelines are clearly asking for a population-based type of management, urging countries to cooperate internationally and to perform transparent population estimates. Killing more bears is not the answer.”

A final decision whether the hunt will go ahead is expected shortly by the Slovenian Environment Ministry.

For further information:
Gerald Dick, WWF Global Species Programme
Tel: +43 1 48817 212

Joanna Benn, Communications Manager
WWF Global Species Programme
Tel: +39 06 84497 212

Wolves retain protection status in Europe

2006-12-01

Strasbourg, France – It is still illegal to hunt wolves throughout Europe, despite a bid by Switzerland to downgrade the animal's protected status.

For the second year in a row, the Swiss authorities proposed transferring the wolf (Canis lupus) from "strictly protected" to "protected" under the Bern Convention on European wildlife conservation. If the Swiss proposal had been approved, it would have allowed some hunting of the species across Europe.

The European Commission, with support from WWF and others, argued that wolf populations have not recovered in most EU member states, and that a further weakening of protection was seen as unnecessary. Croatia, with up to 170 wolves after a long recovery phase, also did not support the downlisting.

“The proposed amendment was unjustified and unnecessary," said Gerald Dick of WWF’s Global Species Programme. “To add insult to injury, the Swiss authorities have cut back on herd protection measures and are now blaming the wolves.”

The decision comes less than a week after a wolf, reported to have killed around 30 sheep, was shot dead in the Swiss canton of Valais. It was one of only around a half a dozen wolves found in Switzerland.

Legally, the convention allows wildlife to be killed under exceptional circumstances, as Switzerland argued after shooting the wolf in Valais a couple of weeks ago.

WWF is considering pressing criminal charges against the local government for their action.

Wolves first returned to the Alps in 1985. Today, more than 100 wolves live in the French and Italian areas of the western Alps. Wolves are dispersing slowly towards Switzerland and the eastern alpine region.

Switzerland has just 3-4 wolves that live along the border with Italy.

For further information:
Gerald Dick, Programme Development Manager
WWF Global Species Programme
Tel: +43 1 48817 212
Email: gerald.dick@wwf.at

Looking for lynx in the Swiss Alps

2006-10-24

By Mark Schulman*

Here kitty kitty, here kitty kitty.

If you think looking for your cat in some remote corner of your house is a daily challenge, try finding its more elusive distant cousin in a forest.

With only 100 believed to be found in the entire Swiss Alps, tracking down the lynx is no easy task. So hard, that a recent lynx excursion in the picture-perfect Simmental Valley in the Bernese Oberland came with a disclaimer that the chances of seeing the pointy-eared feline in its natural habitat were next to zero. Even stumbling across a paw print or a slight sign of its existence, even its scat, could not be guaranteed.

So why even lead such a trip that offers such low expectations?

“The excursion was never actually about seeing a lynx,” said Joanna Schoenenberger, a large carnivore expert with WWF’s European Alpine Programme who led a group of outdoor enthusiasts from the Swiss capital, Bern, through lynx territory.

“It was about introducing people, particularly from the city, to the kind of wildlife that lives right in their backyard, the Alps, and more importantly, about trying to understand the growing conflicts between wildlife and local communities and farmers.”

Linking the lynx
The lynx, like its fellow European predators the brown bear and wolf, was wiped out of Switzerland’s alpine landscape by the end of the 19th century as a result of human population growth, combined with forest conversion for agriculture and logging that saw their habitat encroached upon and their main prey, roe deer, drastically reduced. They were also persecuted by local farmers who saw them as a threat to their livestock, especially when grazing high in the alpine meadows. It is believed the last lynx in the Swiss Alps was killed in 1894, not too far from where our excursion took place.

Fast forward about a 100 years and the situation has changed. As large-scale deforestation came to an end, forest cover increased and deer populations dramatically recovered, creating the right ecological conditions for the lynx to return, albeit with a little help. According to the IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group, at least 14 lynx were translocated in the 1970s from the Carpathian Mountains in Eastern Europe to the Swiss Alps, making Switzerland one of the first European countries to endorse the re-introduction of this species, as well as grant it legal protection. Today, there are about 100 individuals in Switzerland, consisting of two main populations — one in the northwest Swiss Alps, which includes the Interlaken area, and the other in the Jura Mountains overlooking Lac Léman (or Lake Geneva) and continuing on to France.

“The two populations are not enough,” stressed Schoenenberger. “They are too small and isolated to be viable, and the lack of contact between the populations can lead to a decrease in the genetic pool. We have already observed several lynx with hip problems, a genetic defect that indicates inbreeding.”

According to WWF, the present lynx distribution does not reflect the potential range of the species in the Alps — only 18,100km², less than 10 per cent of the Alp’s entire 192,000km² range, is permanently occupied.

In order to link the lynx, a WWF-supported project was established in Switzerland by the government (coordinated through the Swiss-based KORA Carnivore Research Centre) to restore the endangered cat species across the whole alpine region, particularly trying to link the two main alpine populations between Switzerland and Slovenia. As part of the project, six lynx were translocated in 2001 from the north-western Swiss Alps to suitable areas on the eastern side.

“Connecting the populations is crucial to their survival,” Schoenenberger added. “It’s the only hope we have.”

Lynching the lynx
But not everyone is looking to connect the populations, let alone endorse the return of this carnivore. Many rural communities in Switzerland still retain the notion that the lynx, as well as a handful of wolves and one bear that crossed from Italy last summer, are ferocious killers and a threat to their livestock and livelihoods (even though a majority of sheep mortalities are a result of dog attacks).

One elderly farmer met along the way expressed concern for the safety of his sheep with lynx in the area, and held the predator directly responsible for the decrease in game that once grazed in the nearby forest.

“I used to see many chamois (wild goat) and deer foraging down here in the valley, but since the lynx came back there is now nothing,” he said, pointing to one of his fields up the hill. “I am not so happy about the lynx, but I guess we’ll have to get used to it.”

Some farmers and hunters, however, openly blame conservationists for its reintroduction. Lynx researchers working the Simmental Valley area have been threatened on many occasions by locals and had their tracking equipment damaged. They, and the species they are trying to study, have not been welcome.

Such hostile attitudes are reflected in a recently published Swiss novel, aptly titled Luchs (or Lynx in German), which depicts the conflict between conservationists and local hunters and sheep farmers through the eyes of a young man from the city doing his civil service with lynx researchers in the field.

“The novel is based on my experience as a research volunteer at a time when several lynx were found shot or poisoned in this very valley,” said author Urs Mannhart, who read passages during the lynx excursion.

“The conflict in the book and the events that happen are not far from the truth,” added Mannhart, who was personally threatened and had his tyres slashed when monitoring the lynx in the winter of 2000. “I wrote the book to show how real the hatred for this animal really was.”

Although a protected species within Switzerland and Europe, illegal lynx killings remain the predominant cause of mortality. Government records confirm that 49 lynx have been poached since the 1970s. With current funding for lynx monitoring down and researchers not as often in the field, determining their status in the wild is getting more difficult.

“The real number of illegal lynx killings is estimated to be at least four times the recorded number, as many go unrecorded or uninvestigated,” said Schoenenberger. “This year the numbers of lynx in several key areas have decreased because of poaching. No poacher has ever been convicted.”

Living with lynx
Not all farmers have a death warrant out for the lynx. Konrad Egger, from Zweisimmen in the Simmental Valley, has lost 140 of his sheep to lynx in the past 13 years, and only one-third of his losses have been compensated by the government. Still he is not bitter.

“Despite my losses I can live with some lynx,” said Egger, who unlike many of his fellow farmers, is open to dialogue and came along on the lynx excursion to share his experience. “One shouldn’t poach the lynx, but at the same time they shouldn’t be re-introduced. If there are too many, something needs to be done. They need to be hunted.”

Farmers aren’t the only ones concerned. One woman on the excursion — an elementary school teacher from the nearby alpine resort town of Gstaad — said she wasn’t necessarily against drastic measures if lynx were proving to be a problem.

“The kids love learning about the lynx,” said the woman, a WWF member for 30 years, “but the parents, many who are against the lynx for their attacks on their sheep, are not so happy. I try to be balanced when teaching and discuss the different sides to the problem, but personally, if there are too many lynx or too many attacks I am not opposed to shooting them.”

The gap between attitudes towards the lynx is still broad. That is why groups like WWF are working on educating and involving local communities, especially when it comes to lynx management.

“The return of large predators to our densely populated region represents a big challenge,” Schoenenberger added. “The only probability of success lies with sensitizing and informing the general population, particularly local communities living within lynx territory.

One method to deal with livestock attacks has been the introduction of guard dogs, a protection technique that disappeared long ago with the disappearance of the lynx, as well as the wolf. In an attempt to bring back the traditional use of guard dogs after many generations in Switzerland, WWF offers advice on how to choose the right animals for protection. Great Pyreneans and Maremmano-Abruzzeses are two breeds that have proven effective. Other changes to farmers’ herding practices, including the use of electric fences, provide additional livestock protection from carnivore predation.

More excursions into lynx country are also part of an ongoing plan to educate people from all walks of Swiss life about their environment, the Alps, and the many species that live there.

“Lynx need support to regain their once lost territory and our tolerance,” Schoenenberger said. “People need to want the lynx if they’re going to survive here.”

“The future of the lynx in the Alps depends on cooperation and on solutions on how to co-exist with large carnivores,” she added. “In the end, natural diversity will depend on cultural diversity.”

* Mark Schulman is Managing Editor at WWF International, based in Gland, Switzerland.

END NOTES:

• The Alps are one of the largest and highest mountain ranges in the world, covering some 192,000km² of land area, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east, through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west. About 13 million people live in the Alps in over 6,000 communities.

• There are an estimated 8,000 lynx throughout Europe. The lynx population in the Carpathians is estimated at about 2,900 (KORA, 2001), the densest in Europe.

• The Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) is the third largest predator in Europe after the brown bear and the wolf. Adults weigh between 15–28kg, and the body length ranges from 90–110cm. Males are larger than females, and individuals from the species’ northern and eastern geographical range tend to be larger than those from southern and western areas. There are four species of lynx, but one, the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus), is close to extinction with only 100 left in the wild. The other two species are the Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) and the bobcat (Lynx rufus), which is native to North America.

Brown bear shot in Germany

2006-06-26

Bavaria, Germany – After several weeks of wandering through the alpine meadows of Austria and southern Germany, the first wild brown bear sighted in Germany for 170 years, was shot in Bavaria after weeks of attempts of trying to capture it.

Local authorities said the bear had become “problematic” because it had exhibited unusual behaviour, including a lack of fear of humans that led to the destruction of substantial amounts of human property and was seen as a risk to human life. The bear wreaked havoc on local livestock.

“We regret the loss of the bear, especially as we were working so hard to catch the bear alive,” said Jörn Ehlers, a spokesman for WWF-Germany.

WWF worked with local wildlife officials to help capture the lone male bear, organizing the arrival of a team of Finnish experts with specially-trained dogs to track the bear down and capture it alive. The team almost captured the bear on the border region between Tyrol (Austria) and Bavaria, but was not able to anaesthetize him.

Since early spring, when the bear first entered Austria, WWF carried out DNA analysis in order to identify the bear, concluding that he originated from an introduced population in Trentino in northern Italy.

In Europe, there are about 13,000 brown bears in some ten separate fragmented populations, including Italy, Austria and Slovenia. They are extinct in the United Kingdom, extremely threatened in France and endangered in most of Central Europe.

“It is clear that there will be other bears migrating in this region by using “green” corridors across the Alps,” said Roland Melisch, a species expert with WWF-Germany.

“We have to be prepared for this eventuality and need a cross-border management plan that lays down how humans and bears can coexist. The faster this plan is finalized the better.”

For further information:
Jörn Ehlers, Chief Press Officer
WWF-Germany
Tel: +49 30 30 87 42 12
E-mail: ehlers@wwf.de

Europe losing species and habitats at a dramatic rate

2006-06-02

Gland, Switzerland – According to a series of surveys carried out by WWF and its partners as part of the European Habitats Forum (EHF), the diversity of Europe’s wildlife and habitats continues to be lost at a dramatic rate.

The case studies, presented in Brussels today in the closing stages of the European Commission’s Green Week, assessed 19 different species and eight habitats across Europe. They show that over 60 per cent of the species and habitats studied have a “bad” conservation status under EU criteria. Another 22 per cent could not be classified due to lack of data.

Among the species surveyed, the conservation status of Eurasian lynx in the Alps and brown bear in Austria was assessed as “bad” and loggerhead turtle as “inadequate”. The small population of bears in central Austria has decreased by about 50 per cent in the last seven years.

These new assessments confirm the European Environment Agency’s previous figures on biodiversity loss — 52 per cent of freshwater fish, 42 per cent of native mammals and 45 per cent of butterflies and reptiles are threatened in Europe.

Populations of butterfly and bird species linked to different habitat types across Europe have declined by between 2 and 37 per cent over the past 30 years.

EHF experts blame direct human influences as the main reason for reported trends. These include the use of pesticides or fertilisers, urbanisation, soil pollution, drainage, modification of cultivation practices, development and infrastructure issues, agriculture and forestry practices, as well as trapping, poisoning and poaching.

WWF says this is an indication that the EU must take immediate action to meet its target to halt biodiversity loss by 2010 set in Göteborg, Sweden, in 2001.

“On this evidence, the European heads of state and governments will miss their goal to save nature in Europe,” said Tony Long, Director of WWF’s European Policy Office. “WWF and its partners are revealing the appalling conservation status for many European species and habitats. Only political commitment to put the loss of nature on a par with climate change will be enough to turn these alarming trends around.”

EHF experts urge the EU Member States to properly implement the Birds and Habitats Directives — the cornerstones of European environmental legislation — by designating enough Natura 2000 sites, managing threatened species, and financing measures which are needed for the survival of species.

Natura 2000 is a European-wide network of protected areas. The report shows that the successful and effective implementation of Natura 2000 sites is crucial to safeguard biodiversity in Europe.

“The EU has the necessary legislation to protect threatened species and habitats,” said Gerald Dick of WWF’s Global Species Programme. “But it must close the implementation gap. This means managing these special conservation sites in the right way. Member States must prepare their national financial plans to finance the 2010 target.”

END NOTES:

• The report, Towards European Biodiversity Monitoring, was produced by WWF, IUCN, NABU, Birdlife, RSPB, Plantlife, KORA, Veronica, CVL, The Bat Conservation Trust, The Herpetological Conservation Trust, Countdown 2010 and Daphne.

• The species and habitats surveyed by EHF experts are:

Animals: wolf (Canis lupus); lynx (Lynx lynx); brown bear (Ursus arctos); loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta); bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus); stone curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus); great white egret (Casmerodius albus); nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus); white tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla); European fire-bellied toad (Bombina bombina); yellow-bellied toad (Bombina variegata); natterjack toad (Bufo calamita); sand lizard (Lacerta agilis); and lesser horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros)

Plants: slender green feather-moss (Drepanocladus vernicosus); early gentian (Gentianella anglica); petalwort (Petallophyllum ralfsii); warnstorf's peat moss (Sphagnum warnstorfii); and acute-leaved peat moss (Shpagnum capillifolium)

Habitats: bogs, peat, fens, springs as well as cork oak forests

For further information:
Gerald Dick, European Coordinator
WWF Global Species Programme
Tel: +43 1 488 17 212
E-mail: gerald.dick@wwf.at

Janice Weatherley, IUCN/EHF Secretariat
Tel: +32 2 739 30 03
E-mail: janice.weatherley@iucn.org

Olivier van Bogaert, Senior Press Officer
WWF International
Tel: +41 22 364 9554
E-mail: ovanbogaert@wwfint.org

Tourism in the Alps, hard choices ahead

2006-03-26

Every year the Alps receive approximately 12% of the world tourists (World Tourism Organization). In 2001 alone more than 80 million tourists visited the Alps.

It’s impossible to overstate the importance of ski-related tourism in the Alps. In Italy alone alpine areas are crisscrossed by a network of 4'693 km of ski-runs, 60% of which are serviced with artificial snow. Cross-country ski tracks amount to 2981 kilometres, 304 of which make use of snow cannons. The situation is similar across the Alps. WWF Italy has published an extensive report by the title of "Alpi, turismo e ambiente, alla ricerca di un equilibrio" (Alps, tourism and the environment, the quest for balance").

Ski tourism is a “mature” industry. Symptoms of obsolescence are become visible in the ski industry, in the Alps and in the rest of the world.

In the US, in the last 20 years, the total number of ski stations has decreased from approximately 800 to less than 500. The same seems to be happening in the European Alps as well.

Austria and Switzerland lie almost entirely within the Alps. Their share of European international tourism has markedly contracted, from 9% to 6% and from 5,5% to less than 4%, respectively (in the period 1999-2003).

France is struggling to maintain its position and its share of international winter tourism seems to have levelled off.

In Italy the situation is more complex. The decrease is being felt especially in low- or mid-altitude ski stations that are more directly hit by climate change. Alpine regions that can differentiate their tourism offer have suffered less than classical “ski paradises”.

The scarcity of the Alpine territory makes further development, at least in quantitative terms, very difficult. Alpine regions have tried in many ways to limit the construction of new ski infrastructure. Nonetheless pressure towards opening up more portions of the Alpine territory to tourism development is strong.

Apparently less people ski. This may be linked to a generation gap: as older skiers quit, they’re not replaced by younger generations. The relative expensiveness of the sport may also play a role.

On the other hand, competition from low-cost exotic destinations has heavily impacted winter tourism in the Alps. Alpine tourism is still relatively expensive, not least because of the high investment costs the operators have to face in order to counter the effects of climate change.

The 90’s were the hottest years in the 20th century. Scenarios can be hard to predict although a general consensus seems to have formed on the basic facts: terrestrial areas in the Northern hemisphere will be hardest hit and the consequences will be felt more heavily in winter. Exactly the “right” place and time to make winter tourism the predestined victim.

Global warming impact will be heavier in countries with comparatively more low-altitude skiing resorts. The snow line will rise 200-300 metres in the coming 30-50 years. Many ski resorts in central and eastern Austria will simply go out of business as a result of global warming.

In Italy half of current ski towns lie under 1’300 metres and are already confronted with snow-cover problems. The trend is increasingly evident: only stations higher than 1’500 metres will be able to host winter sports.

In Italy snow fall has diminished by an average of 18,7% in the 35 monitored ski resorts. This figure can be considered representative of most of the Southern Alps between 1'000 and 2'500 metres.

Low altitude areas have suffered more, with the average snow fall decrease reaching 40%. Internal Alpine areas have on the contrary suffered comparatively less.

As the report by WWF Italy shows, adaptation measures will need to be taken. Global warming will force a change of attitude and behaviour on the ski industry. The industry operators and all those who earn a living in the Alps through tourism have an interest in the protection of the natural heritage. After all that’s why tourists come to the Alps in the first place.

How “green” are the winter Olympics?

2006-02-10

Turin, Italy – As the 2006 winter Olympics open in the Italian Alps, WWF has drafted its first assessment of the environmental impacts of the Games. In the assessment — Ice, Snow and City — WWF gives the Olympic organizers in Turin a “satisfactory” grade for meeting environmental standards.

On the positive side, WWF commended the construction of buildings in Turin that will be used after the Games, as well as clean-fuel public transport and recycling of materials in the Olympic villages.

“Despite the efforts which have been to ensure the eco-compatibility of the Games, we can not ignore, though, a number of aspects which seriously damage the mountain environment,” said Sergio Savoia, director of WWF’s European Alpine Programme. “This includes the construction of a bob-sleigh track and two ski-jumps in delicate mountain environmental areas.”

According to the global conservation organization, the five ski-jumps in Pragelato affect four European protected sites, especially the special protected zone of the Val Troncea. The bobsleigh run in Cesena San Sicario has been built in a protected landscape.

WWF is also critical of the use of artificial snow for the Games as it weighs as much as five times more than real snow, damaging the ground and requiring millions of cubic metres of water, as well as concerned about energy consumption patterns throughout the event.

“Considering the great symbolic value of the event, more should have been done to reduce energy consumption,” Savoia added.

The Olympic flame, a 57m high torch which burns 8,000 cubic metres of methane per hour in 15 days, is enough gas to serve a village of 3,500 inhabitants for a whole year.

“Although we consider the Turin Olympic experience in a generally positive light, we hoped that the Olympic committees would have focussed more effectively on environmental objectives, especially considering that the sporting event take place in as sensitive area as the Alps,” said Gaetano Benedetto, WWF-Italy’s Assistant Secretary.

“In the future, we would like to see an event that recovers, converts, demolishes and rebuilds existing property and adopts measures to compensate the emissions which such sporting events inevitably entail.”

For further information:
Cristina Maceroni, Press Officer
WWF-Italy
Tel: +39 06 84497377
E-mail: c.maceroni@wwf.it

Sergio Savoia, Programme Director
WWF European Alpine Programme
Tel: +41 91 820 60 82
E-mail: Sergio.Savoia@wwf.ch

New Director General, James Leape, takes up post at WWF International

2005-12-05

Gland, Switzerland – James P Leape, a 50-year old American, today officially takes over as the Director General of WWF International. He will lead one of the world's largest independent conservation organizations with 4,400 staff and offices in more than 100 countries.

James Leape has worked in nature conservation for more than 25 years. He began his career as an environmental lawyer, working on environmental protection cases in the United States, advising the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and co-authoring a text on environmental law.

He joined WWF-US in 1989 and for ten years directed its worldwide conservation programmes, serving as Executive Vice-President. For the last four years, James Leape directed the conservation and science initiatives of the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, one of the largest conservation funders in the world.

“From the changing climate to the collapse of fisheries, the challenges of conservation have never been more urgent, or more important to the well-being of people everywhere," Leape said upon taking up his post. "With programmes and supporters all over the world, WWF is uniquely positioned to meet these challenges.”

James Leape will succeed Dr Claude Martin, who has been WWF International’s Director General for the past 12 years. During this time he pioneered new approaches in international conservation, including target-driven environmental policy and international partnerships such as the WWF-World Bank Alliance on Forest Conservation and partnerships with Lafarge, Nokia and Canon. Dr Martin will continue to represent WWF in a number of high-level advisory bodies such as the China Council and help to build a volunteer network of young conservationists.

“We have achieved much in the 44 years of WWF’s existence, but given the continuing degradation of our natural world, so much more needs to be done," said Chief Emeka Anyaoku, President and Board Chair of WWF International.

"I am convinced that under Jim Leape's leadership, the global WWF network will fare exceedingly well in our mission to build a future in which people live in harmony with nature."

James Leape will be leading the WWF delegation to the upcoming WTO ministerial meeting in Hong Kong, where WWF will be hosting a joint event with UNEP on fishing subsidies and lobbying for international trade rules that ensure sustainable development.

For further information:
Claire Doole, Head of Press
WWF International
Tel: +41 22 364 9550
E-mail: cdoole@wwfint.org

Alpine skies too bright

2005-11-29

The changes have been particularly visible in peripheral areas of the Alps: at night Milan's metropolitan area and Switzerland's Mittelland in particular are a sea of lights.

Between 1992 and 2000 alone the surface area affected by particularly strong lighting has doubled while the light intensity of the light sources has also increased. Reasons include the spread of motorisation and settlement areas as well as the growing trend in lighting for advertising or decorative purposes. Brighter nights affect not only the natural day-and-night rhythm of human beings but also the living conditions of many animals. And it is not just nature conservationists who are calling for darkness to be protected as a natural resource. Rising energy consumption is yet another aspect of this phenomenon.

Beware of bear: Return of the brown bear to Switzerland

2005-11-24

By Mark Schulman

After a 100-year hiatus, it seems that bears may be coming back to Switzerland. Well, at least one. This past summer, the first brown bear was sighted in the Swiss canton of Graubünden, the eastern most part of the country just shy of the border with Italy and Austria. For some, the return of the bear was marked with great excitement, for others, a sense of apprehension. It also raised a lot of questions. Where did it come from? Was it lost or just passing through? And more poignantly, is this a sign of more to come?!

Bear populations were once found in healthy numbers throughout Switzerland, as well as most of Europe. So long a part of the natural landscape that the Swiss capital, Bern (founded in the 12th century), is named after the bear, with the animals today prominently featured on the city’s flag and coat of arms. But, the honour didn’t last long as the bear — as well as other large carnivores like the wolf and lynx — were quickly persecuted to extinction.

“Bears by nature are not aggressive and have no natural enemies,” said Marzio Barelli, a local historian in the Swiss Canton of Ticino, “but they were hunted by men who perceived them as a threat to their herds.”

In his recently published book, he notes that 167 bears were killed in Ticino alone from 1808-1885, with hunters rewarded a handsome bounty of 30 Francs for a male and 50 Francs for a female — about a month’s salary at the time.

“There were no conservation organizations back then. No one at that time raised a voice of protest against the bear’s elimination,” added Barelli.

With bear persecution in full swing, coupled with population growth, industrialization, and forest conversion for agriculture and logging that saw bear habitat encroached upon over the years, the writing was on the wall. The last bear in Switzerland was killed in 1904 in the eastern alpine valley of S-charl, just near the entrance of what is today the Swiss National Park.

Crossing the border
One hundred years later a bear pops up again from nowhere. Was it a hallucination? Magic? No, reproduction.

The adolescent male bear that was first spotted in Switzerland in July 2005 near the national park in the Müstair Valley was from a small population of about 20 found in the neighboring Trentino region of Italy, about 50km away from the Swiss border. This population of alpine bears has been reproducing steadily since their numbers were boosted by ones relocated from Slovenia between 1999–2002. According to WWF, the global conservation organization, there were still about 70 bears living in Trentino in the 1950s, but by the 1990s, that number had dwindled to three older males, so at that point offspring were out of the question.

“The relocation of brown bears from Slovenia to Italy was important for preserving one of the last alpine populations,” said Joanna Schoenenberger, a large carnivore expert with WWF’s European Alpine Programme.

“With several ‘green’ corridors connecting Italy to Switzerland, it was really only a matter of time before one of the offspring would leave its den and find its way across the border. There is enough food and space for them here. Their comeback is a sign that the overall alpine environment has improved.”

A recent study commissioned by WWF last March showed that the bear population in northern Italy could find well-suited habitat in the Swiss Alps in the event that bears would start roaming over the border in search of food. The study, conducted by the Swiss carnivore research institute, KORA, also identified three main corridors leading from Trentino to the southern Swiss valleys where bears could roam without being disturbed for the most part by humans. One corridor runs 87km through Italy’s Stelvio National Park to the Swiss valley of Müstair. The second goes 74km to Zernez through the Swiss National Park. And the third, only 37.5km-long, ends up in the idyllic valley of Poschiavo right on the Italian border.

According to the study, about 90 per cent of all three corridors are covered by forests and largely avoids open areas and human settlements. But as this region of Switzerland has a high number of visitors coming year around to enjoy such backcountry activities as hiking, biking and skiing, encounters with a bear become all the more possible.

“Should the bear actually return to Switzerland, its long-term survival will depend not only on good environmental factors, but on a positive attitude from humans, particularly the local population,” Schoenenberger emphasized.

Protecting the honey pot
Hikers were among the first to see the sole bear trample its way into Switzerland. Word spread fast and tourists started pouring into the area to get a glimpse of history being made. This was good news for the Swiss tourism industry, which noted that hotel occupancies were well above the normal summer peak, as were other sectors of the industry, such as restaurants and outdoor excursion companies. As one hotel owner explained: “As long as people see the bear, visitors will keep coming.”

But not everyone has been so happy about the bear’s arrival.

Although bears are easily satisfied with nuts, berries, roots, insects, and of course, the quintessential honey comb, as omnivores they do have a taste for meat. Being so big and bulky, they are not exactly the greatest of hunters, like the wolf, but they are known to go after deer or other small game when presented the opportunity. It is opportunities like this which have Swiss farmers worried and some up-in-arms, particularly as this particular bear is reported to have killed 27 sheep and at least one calf in a very short stretch of time from July to September.

“After he killed so many sheep, peoples’ attitudes quickly changed,” said Chasper Michael, a local wildlife official near the ski resort town of Scuol where the bear passed through.

“It’s been a hundred years since we have had bears and we’re just not used to it. Maybe farmers will have to start changing their practices if more come back.”

Since ridding its territory of large carnivores long ago, Swiss farmers got used to letting their livestock graze without protection in the high alpine meadows. But after a few high-profile wolf attacks (like the bear, wolves have also been absent from the Swiss landscape for about a century, but several have been spotted coming from France and Italy since 1995), some started taking new measures to protect their herds.

Improved fencing and the introduction of sheep dogs, like Great Pyreneans and Maremmano-Abruzzeses, have been employed in some places. According to WWF, which is working with farmers in Switzerland to protect their animals, there are about 100 dogs being used by shepherds for this purpose. Although not 100 per cent foolproof, there is evidence that they have reduced livestock loss in some areas.

Jachen Planta, a sheep farmer in the Müstair Valley where the bear first entered Switzerland, thanks his Maremmano-Abruzzeses for scaring the bear away, even though he didn’t see it himself. Although the dogs were being used to scare off fox and raven, he is convinced that they scared off the bear one night after a marathon three-hour uncontrollable barking session. A few nights later the bear attacked a nearby flock that didn’t use guard dogs.

Trash management
Responding to the presence of the bear, Swiss National Park authorities were quick to put out a fact sheet to park visitors that included the basics (and common sense): stick to the trails, make noise (a bell attached to one’s backpack is encouraged) and avoid leaving food around campsites. In the event of crossing paths with a bear it says to keep one’s distance, stay still, but if attacked to lie in the fetal position with one’s hands covering the neck. Fortunately, no one this past summer had to assume that position.

It is extremely rare that brown bears kill or seriously injure humans. But with the encroachment of humans into bear habitat (or bears into human habitat), bears can easily become attracted to human-related food sources such as garbage dumps, litter bins and dumpsters.

“Once a bear comes to associate human activity with food, human-bear encounters will most likely become more common,” warned Schoenenberger.

“The real danger to the bear in the Alps would come from losing its natural shyness of humans and learning to associate people with food. That’s why it’s important to educate people about the bear’s behaviour and how to act properly in its presence. We want to learn how to live with the bear again.”

Trash management is one way to avoid the problem from the beginning. WWF is working on education programmes for the public to manage their trash. This includes using “bear-proof” garbage cans with sealable metal lids.

“This is the first line of defense to keep bears out of human territory,” Schoenenberger added. “However, if a bear starts getting used to people and becomes a problem, we may be forced to use other tools at our disposal such as firecrackers and rubber bullets, so that it becomes a bit more wary of us.”

For now, bears are protected under Swiss law, as well as under the 1979 Berne Convention on the Conservation of the European Wildlife and Natural Habitats. But some Swiss cantons, particularly those that may be affected by a real or imaginary “bear invasion” want to have to power to kill a bear in the event that it injures or even kills a person or is perceived as a real threat.

While hunters, local government officials and WWF continue to work out the details of future bear management, the one bear that started all the talking has conveniently disappeared. In fact, he hasn’t been seen since the end of September, with many believing that it has already returned to Italy to hibernate.

For the time being, Switzerland continues to have no bears on its territory. But come spring, the bear may be back and perhaps this time he might not be alone.

* Mark Schulman is Managing Editor at WWF International

END NOTES:

• WWF works for the protection of the Alps at national level, through its national organizations and at international level, through the European Alpine Programme. Launched in 1999 by WWF-Austria, WWF-France, WWF-Germany, WWF-Italy and WWF-Switzerland, the WWF European Alpine Programme works to achieve the conservation of biodiversity in the Alps through cross-boundary collaboration with other NGOs and interested partners.

• WWF and its partners are working around the world to reduce bear-human conflicts. This includes: environmental education activities on bear conservation (Austria, Colombia, Slovakia, Venezuela and Switzerland); bear distribution research (Austria, Colombia, Italy and Slovenia); establishing WWF bear advocates who act as the first contact for local people to address bear concerns and to monitor and identify bear damage (Austria); developing management plans for brown bears with guidelines for dealing with bears that cause problems for humans, compensation issues, protected area management, hunting management, and/or data collection (Austria, Romania and Switzerland); and designing new national and international strategies that respond to the biological and ecological needs of the spectacled bear (Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela).

• Compared with its North American ‘cousin’, the grizzly, which can weigh over 500kg, the European brown bear (Urus arctos) tends to be smaller, with males weighing up to 350kg and females up to 200kg. Brown bears have a large hump of muscle over their shoulders which give strength to the forelimbs for digging. Their forearms end in massive paws tipped with extremely powerful claws that can be up to 15cm in length. In spite of their size, some have been clocked at speeds in excess of 50kph.

• There are estimated to be about 200,000 brown bears in the world. The largest populations are in Russia with 125,000, United States with 32,500 and Canada with 21,750. In Europe, there are about 13,000 brown bears in some ten separate fragmented populations, including Italy, Austria and Slovenia. They are extinct in the United Kingdom, extremely threatened in France and endangered in most of Central Europe. The Carpathian brown bear population is the largest one in Europe outside Russia, estimated at around 5,000–8,000 (source: Wikipedia).

• Swiss-Italian television TSI1 will air an environmental programme on the return of the bear to Switzerland on 4 December 2005 at 11:45GMT.

Switzerland wants to slay Europe’s wolves

2005-11-23

Gland, Switzerland – WWF is urging European Union member states to reject a proposal by the Swiss government to allow the hunting of wolves in Europe. According to the global conservation organization, a recent report shows that the wolf has not yet recovered in Europe and there are worrying gaps in available data.

The Swiss proposal was submitted to the Council of Europe and will be voted upon at next week’s meeting of the Bern Convention. WWF says it is an unacceptable and irresponsible attempt, which contradicts the Convention’s stated aims.

“It is incredible that Switzerland, with a wolf population of two or three individuals, has the audacity to ask the Council of Europe to allow hunting,” said Joanna Schoenenberger, Large Carnivore specialist from WWF’s European Alpine Programme.

“The wolf finally returned to Switzerland in 1995, but none of those individuals have reproduced. Any culling in the Alps would be a disaster for the wolf population here.”

Switzerland already tried to downgrade the wolf’s conservation status last year, but the Council of Europe accepted WWF’s request for further wide-ranging research. The resulting report clearly shows that the wolf has not recovered in most of the EU signatory states. It also says that hunting, poaching and official lethal controls are preventing the wolf population from increasing. Even in countries with large numbers of wolves, such as Slovakia or Bulgaria, little is known about their status.

“It is way too early to reduce the wolf’s protected status as the population in Europe is on the brink and still absent in seven EU countries,” said Dr Gerald Dick of the WWF European Programme. “This has nothing to do with real benefits for local communities or managing an endangered species.”

Wolves were driven to extinction throughout most of Western Europe by the beginning of the last century. Thanks to conservation efforts, the animals have returned to the European Alps from Italy’s Apennine Mountains.

Despite the fact that livestock predation by wolves is usually very low in Western Europe – and that many more sheep are killed by dogs – farmers are quick to blame wolves for losses and shoot them in retaliation, WWF says. Since prevention measures, such as the use of guard dogs and electric fences to keep wolves away from livestock have come into force, the problem has been considerably reduced.

WWF does not agree that the wolf population in Switzerland constitutes a threat to local communities, and says there is no legitimate reason to decrease the wolf’s protected status.

In the long term, the small wolf populations in Western Europe will rely on other populations in the east of Europe to breed and thrive. The Alpine arc – 1,200km in length from Nice to Vienna and covering about 192,000km² – plays an essential role for the entire Western European wolf population area and also functions as a major corridor for wildlife migration.

END NOTES:
1. The seven EU continental countries without wolves are: UK, Ireland, Luxemburg, The Netherlands, Belgium, Austria and Denmark.

2. The largest populations of wolves in Europe are in Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria, Spain, Ukraine, Macedonia and Albania.

3. The “Alpine arc” belongs to eight different countries: France, Monaco, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria and Slovenia.

4. WWF and its partners are working to reduce conflict with wolves by: helping with the training and introduction of large dog breeds and donkeys to protect sheep against wolf attacks (France, Italy, Switzerland); testing of electric fences to keep wolves away from livestock (Switzerland); promoting educational courses for farmers and shepherds on measures to reduce conflict with wolves (Switzerland); providing information for hikers and tourists on how to behave if a guard dog is encountered, and gaining public support by explaining the “job” of these dogs (Switzerland); initiating discussions on game management (Austria, Switzerland); and promoting public awareness to gain support for the presence of large carnivores (Italy, France, Austria, Germany, Switzerland).

For further information:
Joanna Schoenenberger, Large Carnivore Expert
WWF European Alpine Programme
Tel: +41 91 820 60 04

Sergio Savoia, Communications Officer
WWF European Alpine Programme
Tel: +41 91 820 6082

Joanna Benn, Communications Officer
WWF Global Species Programme
Tel: +39 348 726 7313

Olivier van Bogaert, Senior Press Officer
WWF International
Tel: +41 22 364 9554