Disappeared from the national territory since the 1930s, the wolf has been making a strong comeback for several decades. And today, more than 620 individuals have been identified. For his 76e episode, Sixth Science, the science podcast Science and Future and 20 minutes, tells you how researchers today analyze its behavior in a very fine way.
Objective: to “get in the head” the wolf’s
At the microphone, Loïc Chauveau, journalist specializing in the environment at Science and Future and who produced a report in the Bauges massif, in Savoie, answers questions from Romain Gouloumès from 20 minutes.
Both tell you, for example, how scientists analyze the movements and interactions of canis lupus by installing infrared cameras and GPS beacons in this region. Objective: to “get into the head” of this unknown predator to explain its attack strategies against certain herds. And above all try to answer many questions: how does he attack? How does he react to electric fences and dogs? Why does he go after several animals at the same time?
You will also learn how the French Office for Biodiversity (OFB) identifies wolves by leading a network of 3,000 professionals and volunteers trained in interpreting the signs of wolf presence. Once an individual has been reported (photos, a sheep attack), some move in search of droppings or hair allowing recognition by genetic fingerprint. 2,000 clues are thus recovered every year and each is the subject of a diagnosis recorded in a standardized form sent to the OFB, an organization considered to be one of the best in the world.
Fine-tune protection strategies
Every five years, it is thus able to provide the European Environment Agency with the most precise conservation status possible. At the same time, the researchers are also working to adjust the protection strategies as best as possible, which requires better interpretation of the signals preceding sheep attacks.
While waiting for the results of their often nocturnal observations, you have time to discover the subject in full in the latest issue of Science and Future dated March 2022 on newsstands since the end of February. Or to immerse yourself in the archives of Sixth Science and also to subscribe to it for free on Apple Podcasts.
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