Giada Studer - Master thesis

Large predators naturally arouse both fear and fascination in humans.

The presence of wolves and their impact on cattle is controversially debated in Switzerland as in other countries worldwide. Recent political decisions sparked an intense public discussion.

In Switzerland there are three historical large carnivores: bear (Ursus arctos), lynx (Lynx lynx) and wolf (Canis lupus), all of which were extirpated from the territory between the 19th and 20th centuries by human persecution and habitat alteration.

In 1890 the last wolf was reported and killed by humans as it was considered a threat to livestock.

In 1995, more than a century later, the wolf naturally returned to Switzerland by migrating from Italy. Throughout the years, their range has extended and since 2021, we have been witnessing the annual emergence of new wolf packs.

At the same time, farmers have abandoned traditional husbandry methods causing greater exposure to predatory risk.

The current defensive strategies, employing guarding animals and various types of fencing -both electrified and non-electrified-, have demonstrated limited efficiency. Current attempts to foster coexistence between wolves and alpine agriculture have proven inadequate, resorting predominantly to selective culling . However, this approach is not a viable solution for species conservation -wolf is currently listed in the annex II of the Bern Convention as a strictly protected species- and has shown inefficacy in ensuring long-term livestock protection.

Bruns, A., Waltert, M., & Khorozyan, I. (2020). The effectiveness of livestock protection measures against wolves (Canis lupus) and implications for their co-existence with humans. Global Ecology and Conservation, 21

Lorand, C., Robert, A., Gastineau, A., Mihoub, J.-B., & Bessa-Gomes, C. (2022). Effectiveness of interventions for managing human-large carnivore conflicts worldwide: Scare them off, don’t remove them. Science of The Total Environment, 838, 156195

Non-lethal methods present a more functional and economically viable alternative, positively favoring predator-human interaction and the whole biodiversity

This project aims to explore an alternative approach, termed as a "biofence", leveraging carnivores' natural scent-marking behavior for territorial defense. Originating in Botswana, this method harnesses animals' instinctual avoidance of conflicts with neighboring conspecifics by establishing territorial boundaries.

Indeed, wolves predominantly utilize scent communication through urine, feces, and scratching to delineate territories, preventing territorial clashes.

By utilizing scent-marking substances strategically, this approach have the potential to create bio-boundaries, deterring wolves from encroaching on specific zones like livestock farms and urban areas.

My project in a nutshell!

Video produced by Prisca Grassi

Canis lupus lupus

Marécottes Packs

First Pack

Breeding pair