With financial support from Wolves and Humans, the Slovak Wildlife Society recently helped a sheep farmer who had lost a number of sheep to wolves and bears and a bee-keeper who had suffered damage to his beehives by bears, by quickly providing and installing electric fencing to prevent further loss or damage.  

By doing this, we were able to demonstrate that people in rural communities can turn to conservation organisations for help and receive practical assistance, providing an alternative to complaining that there are too many wolves or bears and that numbers need to be controlled, which generates negative publicity in the local and national media.

This action also shows the importance of having a local contact – in this case Slovak Wildlife Society biologist Robin Rigg – in the community so that relationships can be built with local people and they know who to ask for help and advice, rather than having to try and navigate their way through remote and faceless government departments or international conservation organisations. This also means that preventive measures can be installed correctly on site, training in correct use provided and monitoring carried out.

White Dog Fund - sharing the load

The White Dog Fund aims to provide people in rural areas who bear the real cost of co-existing with wolves, brown bears and lynx with prompt and practical assistance to resolve conflicts; a positive alternative to killing predators.  The Fund gives everyone, whether you live in a city or in the countryside, the opportunity to share responsibility for conservation of these species by supporting the people most affected by their presence.