The bear and the wolf of the Pyrenees are part of the natural heritage of Spain, France and Andorra. Both species show cross-border distributions: the bear with a breeding population in the Central Pyrenees (Haute-Garonne, Arieja, Val d'Aran and Pallars) and the wolf, through the presence of some erratic males settled in the Pre-Pyrenees and Eastern Pyrenees. The main objective of the LoupO project is to develop a cross-border plan for the monitoring and follow-up, especially genetic, of the bear and wolf populations in the Pyrenees.
The LoupO project, with a total budget of 1,250,109 euros, is 65% co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) through the INTERREG V-A Spain-France-Andorra Program (POCTEFA 2014-2020), a European program of territorial cooperation created to promote the sustainable development of the border territory between the three countries. The project will last for the next two years, until the spring of 2022 and will be coordinated by the researcher of the Department of Animal Science and Food of the Autonomous University of Barcelona, Dr. Natalia Sastre, wildlife specialist of the Service Molecular Genetics Veterinarian from the UAB. "The LoupO project aims for three countries to collaborate by tracking these two wild animals that know no borders. In this way, the populations and their genetic status will be better known", explains Natalia Sastre.
The Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fishing and Food (GENCAT), the General Council of Aran, Forestal Catalana SA, the Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine (CNRS) and the Veterinary Service of Molecular Genetics (UAB) as beneficiary partners, and the Department of Territory and Sustainability (GENCAT), the Office Français de la Biodiversité, the Direction Régionale de l'Environnement, de l'Aménagement et du Logement (Occitanie), and the Ministry of the Environment, Agriculture and Sustainability (Government of Andorra) as associated partners, will develop, standardize and unify the methodologies for field monitoring and genetic monitoring of the wolf and the bear in the Pyrenees, and will create a common database between countries. All this will allow, in the future, the realization of population estimates through genetic censuses, for example, in order to optimize resources and adapt to the growing populations of both carnivores. Also, the appearance of measures to promote the acceptance of the wolf and the bear in a territory marked by human activity will be encouraged.
POCTEFA 2014-2020
The LoupO project has been programmed in its third call by the POCTEFA 2014-2020 Programming Committee, which constitutes the fifth generation of community financial support intended to strengthen the economic and social integration of the Spain-France-Andorra border area. Its aid is focused on the development of cross-border economic, social and environmental activities through joint strategies in favor of sustainable territorial development. sustainable