Slavc The Wolf embarked on a 1,000-mile trek in 2011, founding Verona's initial wolf pack in a century.
In the year 2011, a remarkable journey began for a Eurasian wolf named Slavc. This 1,600-kilometer trek through the Alps would lead him to a region of Italy that hadn't seen wolves for a century.
Slavc's journey was closely monitored by a team including Hubert Potočnik at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. The data collected from Slavc's movements showed unusual behaviour, such as crossing two large motorways far outside of his territory.
As Slavc continued his journey towards Austria, he avoided conflicts with farmers and eventually reached the Regional Natural Park of Lessinia in Italy. It was here that he met Juliet, a female wolf, marking the first time a wolf had been seen in the park in around 100 years.
The union between Slavc and Juliet resulted in the birth of two wolf pups, which were the only known example of offspring born between a wolf from the Balkans and another from the Apennines. This mating marked the first return of wolves to that part of Europe in 100 years and led to the return of wolves to a region of Europe that hadn't seen them for a century.
Ten years after Slavc's journey, the region of Italy where he settled is now home to over 100 wolves. The population of wolves in the region has been gradually increasing since the mating.
Adam Weymouth, a writer, chronicled Slavc's journey in his book, titled "Lone Wolf." Despite the motivation for Slavc to leave his pack and undertake the long journey remaining unclear, his journey serves as a testament to the resilience and adaptability of these large predators.
Slavc's journey also highlighted the challenges faced by large predators like Eurasian wolves, as they can result in costly fatalities for farmers, leading to government compensation for lost livestock. However, the growing population of wolves in the region suggests that a balance between conservation and coexistence is possible.
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