Branco di lupi a Civitella Alfedena….
Gepostet von Fieri di essere abruzzesi am Donnerstag, 3. Januar 2019
Isn’t this a beautiful video? Sent to me by a loyal Blog di Doghelp reader. In the video you see a pack of wolves in the snow. Animals that are looking for security and food. This video has been made in the area of Civitella Alfadena, Abruzzi. Located at the beautiful Lago di Barrea.
The first time I visited Civitella Alfadena was in 1997.
Through the internet, I had searched for months to find suitable locations to do “in the field” research into the wildlife and being of wild wolves in the wild.
Various parks:
During this “internet search” I came to three important locations to visit. Namely: Parco nazionale del Mercantour / Piedmont, Parco Nazionale Gran Sasso and Civitella Alfadena, Abruzzi.
For this special period I had planned a vacation of 5 weeks. Today I want to share my experiences that I gained in Civitella Alfadena.
Civitella Alfadena;
Civitella Alfadena is a beautiful mountain village in the Abruzzo. Previously, the population consisted of fanatic wolf and bear hunters …. there seemed to be an unhealthy hatred of the wolves and the pelts raised good money. Civitella Alfadena was seen as the center of wolf hunting.
In the eighties, through good work of animal protection organizations, wearing fur coats disappeared from grace. There was an aversion to wearing and using fur. Justly !!!
However, this meant for the hunters in Civitella Alfadena that their lucrative trade was coming to an end. Here the wolves protectors jumped into the Abruzzo. They gave targeted information to the hunters and the local population that they also could benefit in a positive way through the wolves. Namely by starting to get tourism. Natural tourism, aimed at the protection of wolves and bears and other natural inhabitants.
Slowly the hunters’ mentality changed into a mentality of wolf protection … This is how Camping Wolf … souvenir shops, hotels etc … came into being.
A beautiful village to visit;
When I visited Civitella Alfadena for the first time in 1997, the local population consisted mostly of stiff and distant people. It was not easy to make contact and it seemed that they were not very fond of the various “foreign” tourists. The village itself consisted of mostly dilapidated houses, where little maintenance seemed to be spent.
How different is this nowadays. Every year I visit 1 or 2 times Civitella Alfadena. The village has in 30 years time evolved from a remote “dilapidated” village to a pleasant and fully restored community. There are some nice shops nowadays. Several hotels and a small museum.
The current population is also completely different than before. Today there are friendly and helpful residents. The WOLF campsite has also modernized itself. It is still a nature campsite, where you are largely dependent on yourself, but nowadays you also have a restaurant and electricity. 
Within a five minute walk you will be in the center of Civitella Alfadena from the campsite, but also in the middle of the beautiful nature. Ten minutes descending the mountain via a narrow mountain path brings you to the shores of Lago di Barrea.
Nightly experiences;
When you stay at the campsite it is advisable to lift food, etc. High in a tree with a rope. Eatable products that stay on the ground at night are certainly being snatched away by foxes. The stay at this campsite is also not reserved for fragile souls. You have a good chance of being rudely awakened in the night by the crying of a pack of wolves or the roar of a brown bear. For me, every time a fantastic experience. During the day during a nice walk, my day can not go wrong when I find some footprints of wolves.
Regularly you also meet a small family of wild boar and Camping Wolf is regularly visited by deer.
In short … .. if you love nature and especially wolves, then Civitella Alfadena is the designated holiday destination. Make sure your dog is fully vaccinated, also against rabies, among others. Also make sure that you do not lose your dog out of sight during the walks.
Local dogs;
In the Abruzzi it is also a joy to observe the large shepherd dogs regularly, who do their job to protect the sheep against wolves. However, these dogs are not always friendly to foreigners, so I recommend looking at the animals remotely and not immediately approach them.
In short: a visit to the Italian Abruzzo is a must for anyone who cares about nature.
If you have any questions and / or remarks about this article, please let me know!
