Czech scientists launch DNA-based project to protect livestock from wolves

The Czech University of Life Sciences (ČZU) has joined a new research project aimed at helping farmers protect their livestock from wolf attacks more effectively. Using genetic analysis, scientists will be able to determine whether the same predators are responsible for repeated attacks and link specific individuals to particular packs.

According to university representatives, this data will provide an important foundation for objectively assessing conflicts between humans and large predators, as well as for developing effective prevention measures.

The main fieldwork will take place in areas where damage to farm animals is most frequently recorded. Researchers will compare different methods of protecting herds — for example, electric fences and so-called fladry: ropes fitted with movable strips of fabric that visually deter wolves.

According to the scientists, the project's findings will help improve understanding of how to effectively prevent damage caused by large predators and how to properly combine different protective measures. The knowledge gained should prove useful not only to livestock farmers but also to state authorities and nature conservation organizations, the university notes.

The project has received backing under the "ZEMĚ II" programme run by the National Agency for Agricultural Research, which funds applied scientific research.

According to the Nature and Landscape Protection Agency, wolves have been returning to Czech territory more actively over the past decade. Based on observation data, 308 individuals have been recorded this year. In 2024, their number exceeded 2,300, compared to just 68 wolves in 2015. The wolf remains a specially protected species throughout the country.

The agency also reports that wolves kill hundreds of livestock animals every year. According to available data, 331 attacks on farm animals were recorded last year: 756 sheep, 153 head of cattle and nine goats were killed. In 2024, the number of attacks reached 395, with 779 sheep killed.

At the same time, as Michal Feller, coordinator of the organization Hnutí DUHA – Šelmy, has previously noted, in 90% of cases attacks occur where livestock enclosures were not properly protected.

Around Prague, based on reporting by ekolist.cz