Fladry is a line of rope mounted along the top of the fence from which are suspended strips of fabric or coloured flags (usually red) that will flap in a breeze, intented to deter wolves from crossinf the fence-line. Fladry are a temporary but efficient prevention method to avoid damage on livestock in small pastures as this footage shows.
Wolves – especially older, experienced ones – are often very skeptical of new things in their environment. For some reason, they don’t like those flags rippling in the breeze.
Part of fladry’s success, it seems, is that it is a new object that causes wolves to become frightened of passing it. Past studies have shown that fladry can be effective in field trials for up to 60 days before wild wolves cross them (Musiani 2003).
Please share this post because reducing livestock conflicts is a large part of the key to increasing social tolerance for large carnivores. Click here to access People and Carnivores Fladry Manual via Dropbox.
Source and more information about fladry:
http://sciencetrio.wordpress.com/2011/04/05/electrifying-deterrents-wolves-and-fladry/
http://www.peopleandcarnivores.org/services/agriculture/temporary-fences/fladry
http://www.berrymaninstitute.org/journal/spring2010/davidson-nelson_gehring_sp10.pdf
http://www.defendersblog.org/2012/07/video-setting-up-fladry-at-wood-river/
Musiani, M., C. Mamo, L. Boitani, C. Callaghan, C. C. Gates, L. Mattei, E. Visalberghi, S. Breck, and G. Volpi. 2003. Wolf depredation trends and the use of fladry barriers to protect livestock in western North America. Conservation Biology 17(6):1538-1547.
This scientific paper is available by clicking HERE.
Between Thorn Bushes and Claws 