Our Naturetrek Macchietelle Reserve in the Central Apennines, managed in partnership with the Italian conservation organisations Salviamo L’Orso and IntraMontes, is proving to be a magnificent haven for mammals. Since the beginning of May, we have had four trail cameras operating and they have captured some great images and videos of a wealth of species. Apennine Wolves are proving to be very regular, including a pack of five, seemingly an adult female with large pups. The Reserve’s Roe Deer, featuring with fawns, and Wild Boar with their stripey piglets are seemingly sufficiently abundant to support this Wolf population, thankfully without it incurring the wrath of local livestock farmers to date. Other mammals frequently filmed include Crested Porcupine, Wild Cat, Pine Marten and Red Fox (view a compilation video here). Rarest to date is the Badger, unlike here in the nature-deleted Hampshire Downs where it is unhealthily numerous. With an additional 10 trail cameras now in position around the Reserve from August onward, we’re expecting to record a great deal more mammal action in the months ahead, perhaps including the Marsican Brown Bear! 

We have compiled some of the highlights from trail camera footage into this short one-minute video, which we are delighted to share with you: