Electric fences: analysis of the efficacy in preventing damage produced by wolf in Tuscany

The Electric fences are the most commonly used devices to prevent livestock by predators. These equipment can have very different characteristics, depending on the type of material used, the need to change their position between different areas, the farms’ size, etc. In the research project to study the measures to prevent damage by Wolf conducted by the Province of Florence and the CSDL, various types of fences with different features were designed and tested in order to define the most suitable fencing for protecting animals grazing by predators. Some of these fences have been installed between 2005 and 2010 with the grant of the Comunità Montana Mugello. Some of these fences, were monitored by DEISTAF using infrared cameras. The data on rates of predation obtained, before and after installation of fences, were also analyzed.