PREVENTIVE MEASURES IN BULGARIA AND THEIR CURRENT USE Elena Tsingarska – Sedefcheva BALKANI Wildlife Society

Current ways of grazing livestock in the mountain regions of Bulgaria Grazing every day on a different pasture, moving long distances; Start every morning from the village and bring the livestock back at night; Summer camps up in the mountains are often without a pen for the livestock. In some cases even without a fence for the night; Some livestock (cattle, horses) are not brought back to a camp at night but stay out for a whole summer; Shepherd accompanying the livestock (sheep, goats, but not always cattle) Prevention measures in Bulgaria and their current use Elena Tsingarska – Sedefcheva, BALKANI Wildlife Society

Livestock pen in a village Prevention measures in Bulgaria and their current use Elena Tsingarska – Sedefcheva, BALKANI Wildlife Society

Summer camps in the mountain Only wooden fence at night for the sheep Even no fence for the sheep Prevention measures in Bulgaria and their current use Elena Tsingarska – Sedefcheva, BALKANI Wildlife Society

Moving long distances every day. Full time shepherd with the livestock Prevention measures in Bulgaria and their current use Elena Tsingarska – Sedefcheva, BALKANI Wildlife Society

Traditional preventive measures in Bulgaria Full time shepherd on the pasture; Livestock guarding dogs, guarding during the day and at night; Pens, enclosures, fences. Prevention measures in Bulgaria and their current use Elena Tsingarska – Sedefcheva, BALKANI Wildlife Society

Karakachan dog – the local, traditional breed of a livestock guarding dog Prevention measures in Bulgaria and their current use Elena Tsingarska – Sedefcheva, BALKANI Wildlife Society

The Karakachan dog A breed of LG dog selected by the Karakachan people, nomad livestock breeders on the Balkans and used also by the Bulgarian shepherds since centuries; According to a survey of BALKANI Wildlife Society (1997) among livestock breeders, 95% of them answer that LG dog is a good preventive measure against predators and 89% consider that the Karakachan dog is the best breed of dog for guaridng livestock. Prevention measures in Bulgaria and their current use Elena Tsingarska – Sedefcheva, BALKANI Wildlife Society

The Karakachan dog The Karakachan dog is used for guarding different livestock. Mainly sheep, goats and cattle. Prevention measures in Bulgaria and their current use Elena Tsingarska – Sedefcheva, BALKANI Wildlife Society

The Karakachan dog The breed is brought to the edge of extinction first in 1950s, during the nationalization of livestock and in early 1990s, when state livestock farms were destroyed; In 1993, the breed is included in the Red Data List of the Autochthonic Forms of Domestic animals of the National Strategy for Conservation of Biodiversity, with a status “Endangered”; In early 1990s, young conservationists and dog lovers start breeding these dogs and save the breed in this way; In 1997, a project of BALKANI Wildlife Society and SEMPERVIVA Society to provide herdsmen with Karakachan dogs was initiated; International Karakachan Dog Association was founded in 2001. Prevention measures in Bulgaria and their current use Elena Tsingarska – Sedefcheva, BALKANI Wildlife Society

Providing Karakachan dogs to herdsmen – BALKANI and SEMPERVIVA ,1997 - 2007 The project was financially supported by: EURONATURE UK Wolf Conservation Trust ALERTIS – fund for bear conservation Prevention measures in Bulgaria and their current use Elena Tsingarska – Sedefcheva, BALKANI Wildlife Society

A map of areas, where Karakachan dogs were provided in the frames of the project Prevention measures in Bulgaria and their current use Elena Tsingarska – Sedefcheva, BALKANI Wildlife Society

Wolf distribution map Prevention measures in Bulgaria and their current use Elena Tsingarska – Sedefcheva, BALKANI Wildlife Society

Karakachan dog - problems Dogs shot and poisoned by hunters: a conflict between LG dogs and hunting dogs; Texts in the Hunting Law give legal rights to hunters to kille LG dogs. Prevention measures in Bulgaria and their current use Elena Tsingarska – Sedefcheva, BALKANI Wildlife Society

Karakachan dog - problems According to the Hunting Law in Bulgaria, LG dogs accompanying livestock, have to wear a stick, which function is to prevent dogs from fast running. Hunters believe, LG dogs chase wildlife and are responsible for its decrease; This is an outdated socialist rule, but still in power; Hunters are allowed to shoot LG dogs, which do not have such a stick. Prevention measures in Bulgaria and their current use Elena Tsingarska – Sedefcheva, BALKANI Wildlife Society

Attempts to solve the problems Development of a Wolf Management Plan A Wolf Management Plan (WMP) for Bulgaria has been developed. Use of Karakachan dogs to prevent damages caused by wolves is the main preventive measure envisaged by the plan. In the frames of the (WMP) development, additional workshop between herdsmen and hunters was organized and conducted. On this workshop decisions were taken with consensus. One of the most important decisions was that the texts in the Hunting Law, which obligate LG dogs to wear sticks and which allow hunters to shoot LG dogs should be removed from the Law. These decisions are going to be reported to the responsible institutions. Prevention measures in Bulgaria and their current use Elena Tsingarska – Sedefcheva, BALKANI Wildlife Society

Attempts to solve the problems Development of a Wolf Management Plan Prevention measures in Bulgaria and their current use Elena Tsingarska – Sedefcheva, BALKANI Wildlife Society

Other problems In 2007, Life + application was submitted (Bulgarian partners are Ministry of Environment and BALKANI Wildlife Society): Improving the conditions for long time conservation of wolves and bears by reduction of carnivore – livestock conflicts; The activities which applied to preventive measures against wolf damages were not approved by the Life projects commission, because of lack of adequate Governmental policy in Bulgaria towards this species. Prevention measures in Bulgaria and their current use Elena Tsingarska – Sedefcheva, BALKANI Wildlife Society

Rural Development Program 2007 - 2013 Within the measure 214 “Agri-ecological payments”, there is a sub-measure “Traditional livestock breeding”; A pilot project was started in two National parks of Bulgaria (Pirin NP and Central Balkan NP) for implementation of this sub-measure; The project envisages additional subsidizing of herdsmen who have at least a pair of Karakachan dogs with their flocks: Herdsmen who do not have dogs receive 100 EUR/ha. Herdsmen who have Karakachan dogs receive 110EUR/ha Prevention measures in Bulgaria and their current use Elena Tsingarska – Sedefcheva, BALKANI Wildlife Society

Problems of implementing the pilot project (Opinions of people participating in the program) Very slow and “heavy” application procedure; A number of useless documents needed to be submitted; Incorrect approach of defining the numbers of grazing livestock up in the National parks; In cases of livestock killed by predators (or from other reasons), nobody checks and proves these cases; Lack of coordination of different responsible institutions (for instanse Pirin NP demonstrates unwillingness to cooperate); Parks rangers participate in corruption schemes, with the purpose of own financial benefits. This is a major problem in both National parks. Prevention measures in Bulgaria and their current use Elena Tsingarska – Sedefcheva, BALKANI Wildlife Society

Conclussions It is necessary to improve the way of implementation of this sub-measure. Better Governmental policy is needed on a National level concerning the support of preventive measures. Prevention measures in Bulgaria and their current use Elena Tsingarska – Sedefcheva, BALKANI Wildlife Society

Prevention measures in Bulgaria and their current use Elena Tsingarska – Sedefcheva, BALKANI Wildlife Society