The project

The so-called project “Allupo”, from the union (marriage) of the two focal words “Allevamento” (livestock) and “Lupo” (wolf), was born from the necessity to salvage the abandoned pasturelands, in order to breed and to add value to the native domestic races of sheep, goat and bovine in Puglia (with a specific attention for the sheep from Altamura). The project also intends to reduce the conflict between the pastoral activity and the presence of the wolf, considered the predator of high importance and the central dowel in the interaction between the prey vs predator, that guarantees the ecological balance.

The project, started in January 2016, was created by the Association “Centro Ricerche per la Biodiversità” (Ce.R.B) in partnership with the National Park of Alta Murgia (PNAM), the Department of Biology of the University in Bari (UniBa) and the farm household named “Tre Fratelli Corte Cicero” and “Jazzo Corte Cicero – la lana del lupo” in Altamura. It was also supported by the Foundation “Con il Sud” and the PNAM co-fund the project. In addition, this project aims and contributes to the enhancement and conservation of the zootechnical and pastoral biodiversity of the Puglia Region, an expression of knowledge, culture and rural history of yesterday and today. Now the farm “Jazzo Corte Cicero – la lana del lupo” manages12 “murgesi” horses,60 sheep and goats between Altamurana sheep and Garganic goats and 15 “podolic” bovine.

The purpose is to highlight the native races; to show animals as founders; to promote the shepherd’s work as a profession through specific refresher courses; to support the local balance between the rural activities and the conservation of biodiversity; to reduce the conflict between animal husbandry and wolves; to activate a territorial office of the “CeRB” association called “Stazione Biologica e il Centro di Documentazione del Lupo e delle Attività Pastorali” (SB) for the promotion of research, teaching about the strategy of preservation of agro-pastoral system.

Allupo is a maverick initiative, against the abandon of the countryside and pastoral activity, against the killing of wolves, against the intensive productions, against the degradation of natural resources.