1. Livestock protecting measures The system implemented in France
Limiting impacts of wolves on
livestock
Livestock protecting measures
The system implemented
in France
Working group on wolves
European Commission
24th September 2009

2. 1. Livestock in moutain areas
2. Financial system
3. Implementation of measures and
technical assumptions

3. 1. Livestock in moutain areas
2. Financial system
3. Implementation of measures and
technical assumptions

4. Agriculture in mountain areas:
an important and diversified livestock activity activité d’élevage importante et diversifiée

5. 1. Livestock in moutain areas
2. Financial system
3. Implementation of measures and
technical assumptions

6. Policy framework Co-financing of European Union (EAFRD) and French
: LIFE Nature programs
: National rural development plan « t » measure :
Third axe of the rural development support through the
European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD)
Co-financing of European Union (EAFRD) and French
Ministry in charge of agriculture
(50 % each)

7. Policy framwork
French rural Development Program, Measure 323 c
Integrated measure in favor of pastoral activity
- Pasture investments
- Actions to improve shepherd practices and protect livestock
- Animation, studies
Financing of protection costs, within a certain ceiling
Procedures definied by the bill of the 19th of june 2009

8. Enforcement area of the measure
Circle 1
Area in which predation on livestock is already established
Circle 2
Area in which predation may be coming soon
List of villages or parts of villages defined every year
by the departmental authorities

9. Enforcement area of the measure en 2009
Circle 1
Circle 2

10. Eligibility criterias
Type of beneficiary
(farmer, manager of a livestock owners’ organisation…)
Size of the flock (sheeps and goats)
Time spent for pasture in the predation area (circles 1 et 2)

11. 5 options (measure 323 c1-Alps) :
1. Strengthened human guarding
2. Electrific fence for mobile enclosure
3. Livestock guarding dogs
4. Electric fence for pasture enclosure
5. Vulnerability analysis of livestock to predation

12. From 2008 : one case by farmer et
Balance sheet
1,35
2,32
3,41
4,06
4,96
Annual
costs
Annual
contracts
number *
From 2008 : one case by farmer et
not by flock

13. Other measures Technical and administrative support by technicians
in charge of livestock protections in the departmental
directions of agriculture and forest
Emergency measures
Can be used in areas being colonised
Financing of preventive means in emergency, for farmers
recently confronted with predation
 Aim : to give solutions with high reactivity
 Amount of € per year (credits of the MAAP)
Actions in favor of pastoral activity

14. 1. Livestock in moutain areas
2. Financial system
3. Implementation of measures and
technical assumptions

15. The context of early presence
The efficiency of the measures is good … but not total
 Decrease of the average number of killed animals per attack
Some limits and difficulties when implementing the measures
Various sorts of impacts (in economic, social and ecological
ways)
One of the current major issue at stake : to increase reliability of livestock guarding dogs
Launching of a study about the impact of wolves on maintenance of pastoral activity in the Alps

16. Average number of killings per attack 1993 to 2008

17. Attacks and killings level 1993-2008

18. The current efforts to improve the measure « livestock guarding dogs »
Quick increase of this very efficient measure, lack of selection and organization
Difficulties with tourists and local people
Strengthened legislation about dangerous dogs
A national working group gathering the different stakeholders  orientations about penal responsability of farmers
A national program which provided operational tools (a data base and a behaviour test)
A field study of assessing the situation on the ground

19. In the context of areas being colonised
Questions about technical and economic adaptation of the
preventive measures and about vulnerability factors for
livestock systems
A major objective of the wolf plan : to anticipate the consequences of extension of wolves in new areas
Under discussion : implementating field experimentations (importance of regional and national parks)
To promote implementation of vulnerability analysis at large scale (f.e. : Franche-Comté, Massif central)

20. Conclusion Important concerns, in the context of expansion of the
population of wolves :
-interlinkages between the different measures which contribute to limit impacts of wolves on livestock breeding (damages prevention and compensation, wolf population management),
-long term livestock breeding adaptation to this constraint,
-Cost-efficiency