Rare bovine breeds in the transboundary Prespa Park

The populations and characteristics of the shorthorn cattle breed and the Greek water-buffalo in the transboundary Prespa Park, an area covering the basins of Lakes Micro and Macro Prespa in the three neighboring countries (Albania, Greece, FYR of Macedonia) are briefly presented in this paper. Some authors consider the shorthorn cattle in this particular area a distinct type of the brachyceros breed. Efforts to safeguard and preserve it in the study area, in combination with the conservation of traditional rearing methods, seem to have had positive results only in the Albanian part of the Park, where important populations are still maintained (>300 individuals). On the contrary, in the Greek side various socio-economic factors, such as the unwillingness of young people to continue working in animal husbandry, occupation in the more profitable tourism sector, and the introduction of improved breeds in the past, contributed to the almost complete elimination of the breed. The population of the Greek water-buffalo, which was re-introduced in 1997, is increasing and used as a basic tool for the management of extensive wet meadow areas in the littoral zone of Lake Micro Prespa in the framework of a long-term restoration program. These two domestic animals breeds are perfectly adapted to the local environmental conditions, need minimal care, and constitute distinctive elements of the biodiversity of protected areas in Prespa. Conservation of these two breeds is deemed necessary through their: a) (re-)introduction in the primary sector on an organized commercial basis aiming at the production of safe local high quality products, b) further utilization as nature management tools (grazing in littoral areas and shrub-forest-lands), and c) use as additional means to highlight the unique biodiversity of the Prespa Park.