On the trail of wolves
Much of the Italian landscape has long been bereft of wolves. Now, a burgeoning population is reclaiming old haunts.
Who’s afraid of the big, bad wolf? Well, not Lorenzo Shoubridge, who actively sought out the canids while working on a photographic project in the Apuan Alps in northern Tuscany, Italy. “I found obvious traces of the passage of wolves on this path – of their predation and territorial marks,” he says. “So, I started to observe – first using small infrared camera-traps and then I installed a special camera-trap with a trigger sensor, to get the final shot.”
These crepuscular canines, which can travel tens of kilometres in a single day, are notoriously elusive. An object of folkloric fear, they were persecuted across Europe. The last wild wolf in Britain was thought to have been shot in the 1700s; in mainland Europe, they were exiled to the east or else survived on higher grounds, such as the Apennines running along the spine of Italy.
Now, they are making a comeback. The pioneering pair photographed by Lorenzo – part of a rising population reclaiming rural and mountainous areas – are descendants of the last few dozen wolves that survived in the Apennines into the 1970s.
Controversial carnivore
There are thought to be about 12,000 wolves across the continent. Of course, not everyone is happy about this. “The wolf in Italy is a political problem,” says Lorenzo. “We must not hide the fact that there may be problems with its presence where there are livestock, but these problems can be effectively countered by adopting specific measures.”
Rewilding organisations argue that the wolf is key to a balanced ecosystem. Plus, Lorenzo adds, “The presence of the wolf, a healthy environment and a return to wilderness can be a great resource for sustainable tourism and connection with nature.” Catherine Smalley
The presence of the wolf and a return to wilderness can be a great resource for sustainable tourism.