Impact of Human Activities on Biodiversity Project stories

From Just Freedom to "The Promise": the wolf in the world of Almo Nature

One day, in modern times, a good man met a wolf. He was fascinated by the wild nature of the animal staring at him warily with deep eyes. They stood looking at each other for a moment, then the man asked: "I know that your life is troubled, what could we do, as humans, to preserve it?" The wolf was silent for a moment and then said: "Forget me".

This is how Pier Giovanni Capellino, founder and president of Almo Nature, imagined the encounter between man and wolf. It is because of Capellino's vision, that Almo Nature has put the incredible predator at the heart of its charity and communication projects.

The defence of the wolf in Almo Nature projects

The wolf is a key part of Earth's biodiversity that needs to be preserved, however it is still in danger from poaching or accidents caused by man. To respond to this emergency Just Freedom, the wolf recovery unit, was established. Donated by Almo Nature to the Centro Tutela e Ricerca Fauna Esotica e Selvatica – Monte Adone, the centre's aim is to heal wolves that are found wounded or in difficulty and reintroduce them into the wild once healed. These initiatives, implemented as part of Almo Nature's vision, don't forget the view of people, like farmers, whose livestock might be at risk due to the presence of wolves. To address this issue, projects have also been put in place to support flock guard dogs and their masters, the farmers who choose to peacefully coexist with the predator. About this, Capellino has suggested a change of perspective: “We believe that indigenous predators living in Italian territories - like the wolf – could constitute a real added value for all the products that agriculture produces in the region; they should therefore be marked with a ‘protection' trademark and then well promoted and commercialised. Buying a product from an area where biodiversity is preserved offers something extra to the final consumer, a great luxury to be enjoyed, a real added value that combines product quality, conservation and respect for the land and its natural ecosystem."New projects supporting livestock guard dogs in Liguria and in Lessinia are starting soon.

Art for wolves and Almo Nature

The weight of initiatives in favour of the wolf and farmers are not enough to bring forth the urgent change of perception the defence of this beautiful animal needs. This is where art can make a difference in supporting this good cause. Through art we can raise awareness about the wolf's plight and the key role it plays in supporting Earth's biodiversity. Through art, The Promise, the short movie directed by Oscar-winner Gabriele Salvatores for Almo Nature was born, bringing to life Capellino's initiative to tell the story of the ancient alliance between man and wolf and the evolution of the relationship between man and dog, its domesticated descendant. Capellino explains: “I imagined that to convince wolves to become dogs, man would have had to promise something; we thought that it would be important to verify what the conditions of this promise could be." The result is a modern fable that touches the heart of many people, but above all invites everyone to reflect on the need to protect biodiversity, starting with defending the wolf's living space.