From a niche activity to a multitude of flocks
By Elena Dacome
“I’ve always been passionate about sheep!” are the first words uttered by Fabio, a shepherd seated on a bed of nettles with a cigarette hanging from his lips, as he observes his flock dotted across the meadows outside the village of Agordo in the province of Belluno in the eastern Dolomites. His three Maremmano sheepdogs lay sprawled on the grass seemingly focussed on enjoying their afternoon nap. They appear to be dozing off on the job but at the merest hint of the unexpected, eyelids flick open and the dogs are ready to attack. When unrestrained by fences, the sheep are free to roam and strangers can approach, albeit cautiously. High up in the mountains, the Maremmano sheepdogs are the only defence against wolves. But in the Dolomites during the summer when eagles try to pick off the lambs, even the dogs cannot protect them.
