One of the most serious threats for the conservation of species of carnivores like bear, wolf and scavenger raptors like Egyptian vulture, red kite and, lammergeier is represented by the illegal use of poison.
The aim of the LIFE+ ANTIDOTO project, realized in the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park (Italy), in the Andalusia Region (Spain) and the Aragon Region (Spain), is to adopt and disseminate innovative measures for the fight against the illegal use of poison.
The main actions of the project are: Training and exploiting of two Anti-poison Dog Units. Each unit is formed by a leader, by five dogs prepared in Andalusia that are trained to locate different kinds of poison, by forest rangers, handlers of the police and investigation activities, and by a pool of veterinary physicians, specialized in poisoned baits and carcase diagnostic investigations.
The units, one operative in the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park and the other in the Aragon Region, shall control the territory to locate the potential poisoned baits or corpses of wild or domestic animals dead for suspicious poisoning.
Elaboration of a “Strategy against the illegal use of poison”, at Italian scale. This strategy will be elaborated involving authorities and Italian entities that are interested in this topic and will be the first reference in the fight against this harmful practice, giving the tools for investigation on this phenomenon and offering measures to be adopted at several fronts (increasing awareness, prevention, repression, etc...).
The dissemination of the actions realized in the project areas. In particular, the dissemination of the efficiency of the Anti-poison Dog Units, unique tool indeed incisive in order to reduce of the impunity of the crime, will perform an important role in the poisoned bait use prevention.
The dissemination at Italian scale of the activity of the Anti-poison Dog Units in order to promote the training of others NCA (from the Italian "Nucleo Cinofilo Antiveleno", which stands for Anti-poison Dog Unit) by authorities like Regional and Provincial Government and protected areas management entities.
|  Poisoned wolf (picture by "Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise" National Park). | Poisoned wolf (picture by "Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise" National Park). |  Anti-poison Dog Unit in action. | Anti-poison Dog Unit in action. |  Finding of a poisoned fox by a trained Labrador. | Finding of a poisoned fox by a trained Labrador. |  Bait with poison's grain inside. | Bait with poison's grain inside. |
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