"Protected wolves, bankrupt farmers"

More than fifty shepherds from the Miranda Highlands protested today in Naso, in Miranda do Douro, demanding measures from the Government. The protest arises in the context of the conflict between the protection of the Iberian wolf and the livestock activity practiced in the region, which is one of the areas with the highest presence of this species in Portugal. The producers claim that the protection measures implemented are driving them to bankruptcy, suggesting that the restrictions imposed by wolf conservation are significantly compromising the viability of their farms. The Miranda Highlands region is traditionally associated with shepherding, an economically and culturally rooted activity that now faces increased difficulties due to environmental protection requirements.