Semperviva

[2] Semperviva is focused on studying and saving the rare autochthonic breeds of domestic animals in Bulgaria and also on the Balkan region.

Since fifteen years, The Bulgarian Biodiversity Preservation Society, Semperviva, has been active for the breed of Karakachan livestock guardian dogs.

[4] The long-term project started in the beginning of 2001 and is supported by: The SAVE Foundation, Frankfurt Zoological Society and private donors.

The Karakachans are Balkan nomad people who, due to their extremely conservative livestock breeding traditions, are considered to have saved the most primitive and pure domesticated forms of animals – a sheep type "tzakel", a mountain horse and a livestock guardian dog.

Main partners of BBPS – Semperviva are local private farmers from Kresna municipality in Pirin mountain and the Balkani Wildlife society.

The Balkan Peninsula is covered with the marks of different ethnic groups who have, over the centuries, spent time in the area.

The Karakachan sheep is small (about 57 cm at withers), the short and thin tail is typical sign of the breed.

At that time the socialist government decided to replace the local breeds of sheep with foreign, fine-fleeced.

The project is advised by the SAVE Foundation and financed by 'Fondation pour les Animaux du Monde, Vaduz/Liechtenstein.

The horses which had not been currently used by people had stayed all year round high in the mountain in groups taking care about themselves.

Attempts have been made in the state farms to "improve" the breed by crossbreeding with Hucul, Kabardin or Kabarda and Haflinger.

In this aspect, since 1997, in cooperation with the Balkani Wildlife Society, dogs have been provided to livestock breeders for protection of their flocks against predators.

In this way it is aimed to decrease the conflict between people and large carnivores (wolves and bears) and to restore the breed in its natural environment.

This particular project has been supported by several foundations in different years of its implementation: European Natural Heritage Fund – Euronatur, GzSW, UK Wolf Conservation Trust and Alertis.

The three breeds, subject of the project have been selected by Karakachan people, which are ancient, autochthonic, ethnic group of nomad livestock breeders.

As a consequence of that time politics in the farming practice, these breeds have been massively crossbred with foreign more productive ones and also huge numbers of them have been exterminated without control.