The Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZU Prague) has become a partner in the newly funded SmartSheep project, supported by the NAZV – ZEMĚ II programme. The project focuses on scientifically evaluating measures designed to protect livestock from attacks by large carnivores, particularly the grey wolf.
As large carnivores continue to return to the Czech landscape, livestock farmers are facing increasing challenges in protecting their animals while ensuring coexistence with wildlife. SmartSheep brings together experts from several institutions to provide robust scientific evidence on which preventive measures are most effective and under what conditions they work best.
The project combines field experiments, camera trap monitoring, telemetry data, farmer surveys, and advanced genetic analyses to deliver a comprehensive assessment of livestock protection methods.
At the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, the project will involve the MEGERA research team (Molecular Ecology, Genetics and Evolutionary Research of Animals), led by Barbora Černá Bolfíková. The team will be responsible for the genetic component of the research, analysing non-invasive biological samples collected in the field.
These genetic analyses will enable researchers to identify the predator responsible for livestock attacks, verify species identity, and create genetic profiles of individual animals. This will make it possible to determine whether repeated attacks are caused by the same individuals and, where possible, assign attacking wolves to specific packs. Such information is essential for objective conflict assessment and for designing targeted and effective preventive measures.
The main field experiments will be conducted in areas where livestock depredation occurs frequently. Different livestock protection methods—including electric fencing and ropes fitted with strips of fabric that act as a visual deterrent for wolves—will be tested under controlled experimental conditions. The study follows the principles of controlled, randomised, and replicated experimental design, ensuring scientifically robust evaluation of the effectiveness of individual protection measures.
The SmartSheep project is expected to improve understanding of which preventive measures are most effective, under which conditions they perform best, and how different approaches can be combined. The findings will provide practical recommendations for livestock farmers, public authorities, and conservation organisations, supporting evidence-based management of conflicts between livestock production and the recovery of large carnivores.
Foto: Mendelova univerzita v Brně