The images captured by infrared cameras on the night of 11 July 2026, in a mountain pasture near Tione, in the province of Trento, show a crucial scene for the future of mountain sheep farming. A wolf silently approaches the pasture, ready to follow its instincts, when suddenly it is hit by a series of flashes and sound signals.
Frightened by the disturbance, the animal quickly reverses course and disappears into the darkness. This episode unequivocally documents the functioning of acoustic-luminous deterrents (Dal), technological devices that are activated thanks to special movement sensors as soon as they detect the physical presence of a predator in the vicinity of the mountain pasture.
The results of this video footage, shared on the social channels of the Adamello Brenta Natural Park Authority, confirm the effectiveness of a process that began already during the 2025 mountaineering season. The areas of Malga Plan and Malga Zerli, historically affected by predation in the past, were the open-air laboratories of this non-violent technology. The reaction recorded near Tione demonstrates that large carnivores interpret visual and auditory stimuli as indicators of human presence in the area, perceiving an immediate risk that pushes them to move away without causing any damage to the livestock.
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Tailored prevention plans go beyond culling
These data indicate that wildlife management does not require culling or selective hunting to protect the mountain economy. The use of Dal devices represents a concrete and civil alternative to doublets, revealing that sustainable coexistence is a goal achievable through science. As highlighted by the organization in the scientific publication “I Fogli dell’Orso”, the wolf’s response was immediate and coherent. Although no close passages of bears useful to test the systems in this sense have yet been recorded, the overall decrease in summer observations suggests that the technological barrier is working at full capacity.
However, the Park Authority would like to point out that there is no universal magic wand applicable to any territory. Each pasture has unique characteristics in terms of geographical extension, morphology and type of animals raised. The winning strategy lies in integrating Dal systems with other proven measures, such as electrified fences and guard dogs. Instead of invoking useless wolf hunting campaigns, the path traced by the experimentation demonstrates that investing in personalized prevention projects is the only way to guarantee safety for farmers and respect for Alpine biodiversity.
