1. Management, Conservation and Research of the Wolf in Slovakia Slavomír Finďo National Forest Centre – Forest Research Institute Zvolen Carpathain Wildife Society Michaela Skuban Carpathian Wildlife Society Nowy Targ 7.-8.12.2007

2. Hunting Impact of road infrastructure Lack of knowledge, public awarness and research on wolves Gap in communication and cooperation among parties involved in the wolf management Main threats to wolf population in Slovakia Nowy Targ 7.-8.12.2007

3. Wolves hunted in 1991-1995 and distribution in 2004 Protected corridor Protected corridor Nowy Targ 7.-8.12.2007

4. Partial protection Total protection Partial protection Nowy Targ 7.-8.12.2007

5. 1975 Numbers of hunted wolves in Slovakia in 1968-2006 Nowy Targ 7.-8.12.2007

6. Hunted wolves in 2006 (N=91). Yellow circles show location of hunting grounds with shot wolves. Numerals indicate more than one killed wolf within the hunting ground Nowy Targ 7.-8.12.2007

7. Estimated wolf population size by hunters/wildlife experts and the number of hunted wolves in the district of Rožňava (82 798 ha) in 1982-2002. Nowy Targ 7.-8.12.2007

8. Percent of fall and early winter population killed. Removal of about 40 % of individuals or more resulted in population decline and consequently to a smaller chance to hunt wolves. Nowy Targ 7.-8.12.2007

9. Overview of Research Activities Feeding ecology of wolf: scat analysis (n=356), 12 mountain ranges, 1992-1999 Nowy Targ 7.-8.12.2007

10. The influence of wolf predation on distribution of swine fever disease (Pestis suum europaea) among wild boars 19941997 Nowy Targ 7.-8.12.2007

11. Study site Pack size SexAge Weight Kg Number of locations TatryBialka7 ♂ Adult37180 Nízke Tatry Struhár5 ♀ Adult40319 Spatiotemporal behaviour of wolf and its main prey red deer Nowy Targ 7.-8.12.2007

12. Sex & Pack HR size ha MCP 100 %Kernel 50 % ♂ Bialka 14 600 2 100 ♀ Struhár 19 100 2 800 Wolf home range shape & size Nowy Targ 7.-8.12.2007

13. Red deer telemetry study Nízke Tatry & Poľana (120 000 hectares) 21 animals tagged (13 ♂♂ & 8 ♀♀) HR size (MCP = 100 %) Migratory: 7 700 – 8 700 ha Sedentary: 530 – 1320 ha Nowy Targ 7.-8.12.2007

14. HR Wolf – Red deer in the Nízke Tatry Mts Nowy Targ 7.-8.12.2007

15. Identification of critical segments of the main road transportation corridors with wildlife habitats Bear, wolf, lynx, wild cat, red deer, wild boar, fallow deer and mouflon Nowy Targ 7.-8.12.2007

16. Potential impact of the main road transportaion corridors on wolf habitat Nowy Targ 7.-8.12.2007

17. Livestock protection Gudelines for farmers Expert groups in charge of damage assesment imposed by predators to livestock and other human properties are in principle insufficiantely educated. → Incorrect damage assesment results in hatred to predators, especially the wolf.

18. Conclusions: Any changes of legislation should be done carefully in cooperation with hunters in order to prevent contraproductive effects Introduce large-scale system of wildlife management - Quota for hunting wolves. Proposed spring numbers 280 wolves. Less than 20 % of spring numbers should be hunted. - Prevent destruction of whole packs. Lonly individuals or pairs can be more destructive to livestock than compact pack. - Ban drive hunts. - Report shot wolves including filled form with a photo of killed animal

19. Conclusions: Improve system of livestock protection and damage assessment Insist on building passages and other mitigation for animals during road netowrk construction, especially of motorways and dual carriageways Include wolf and livestock protection issue into currently prepared research acitivities

20. Publications Finďo, S. – Hood, A. 2001: Interakcie veľkých šeliem a oviec na vybraných salašoch stredného Slovenska. Folia venatoria 30-31, 199-206. Finďo, S. 2002: Potravná ekológia vlka (Canis lupus) v Slovenských Karpatoch. Výskum a ochrana cicavcov na Slovensku V. 45-55. Finďo, S. 2002: Vrodené správanie a návyky pastierskch strážnych psov využívané pri ochrane hospodárskch zvierat proti veľkým šelmám. Výskum a ochrana cicavcov na Slovensku V. 147-153. Finďo, S. 2002: Domovské okrsky, migrácie a denná aktivita jelenej zveri v horských lesoch. Folia venatoria 32, 7-14. Finďo, S. – Chovancová, B. 2004: Home ranges of two wolf packs in the Slovak Carpathians. Folia Zool. 53(1), 17-26. Finďo, S. 2005: Reducing sheep losses to large predators by use of livestock guarding dogs. Beiträge zur Jagd-und Wildforschung, Bd. 30, 213-221. Finďo, S. – Skuban, M. – Koreň, M. 2007: Brown bear corridors in Slovakia. Identification of critical segments of the main road transportation corridors with wildlife habitats. Carpathian Wildlife Society.