The Cottian Alps Protected Areas Management Authority has at its disposal about 500 Wolf (Canis lupus italicus L.) droppings, collected during 5 years of participation in an international research conducted under the Life Wolf Alps project
Samples are stored in freezer in sealed bags. Each one is identified by unique codes written on the container and a tab containing the essential information (pick date, location, and features, binder). They are all georeferenced. The Management Authority intends to make available to the Scientific Community this material, no longer needed for other analyzes, having exhausted the purpose of the original research.
Therefore the Management Authority invites the University Departments to propose theses, doctoral dissertations or other related researches that, with the support of the staff of the body, use all or part of the faecal samples to investigate - as a non-exhaustive example - wolf diet, spatial distribution of markings, numerical consistency of samples, genetics of individuals (probably more difficult due to long storage in a freezer) or other innovative and original themes. The Management Authority reserves the right to assign the material to the researcher who will make the more interesting proposal in terms of relevance of the objectives and quality of research, multidisciplinarity and innovation.
Samples are currently stored in the Gran Bosco Park operational seat in Salbertrand (Turin, Italy). They may be delivered to designated researchers, subject to specific agreement with the Management Authority.
It is stated that the ownership of the proposed study will remain in the hands of the researchers, who commit themselves to deliver to the Park the results of their work. The Park can use it for dissemination and institutional purposes, always citing the authors.
The Park, while ensuring the best preservation of specimens, cannot guarantee that they are all usable for scientific purposes. In the event of deterioration or incorrect maintenance, the Park authorizes the destruction of defective specimens during the research, following a simple written communication of their number and identification codes. Sample retention or return is not required at the end of the search.
The Park assures co-operation and support of its staff to the investigators, with regard to information on research carried out over the years (since 1995) on the return of Wolf in the Cottian Alps, on the material to be investigated and any other useful information to the research; if necessary, it may also provide a sluggish logistic service, to be defined.
To submit your research proposal or request more information please write to the following address:
Ente di gestione delle aree protette delle Alpi Cozie (Cottian Alps Protected Areas Management Authority), via Fransuà Fontan, 1 - 10050 - Salbertrand (TO) - Italy - e-mail segreteria.alpicozie@ruparpiemonte.it - 0039 (0) 11 854720