Lisa Pascal Davidson is in Armenia to take part in the Assessment of Economical Losses as a result of Human-Wildlife Conflicts in the Ararat region project. Lisa is a second year university student from the University of Cumbria, UK, on a placement year to gain work experience in the animal conservation field. The theme for the placement is rewilding. Before coming to Armenia, she spent 4 months in a rewilding reserve in the Netherlands where she conducted a vegetation survey.

The research Lisa is doing with the help of Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC) is in the Caucasus Wildlife Refuge (CWR) managed by the FPWC and adjacent communities. The aim of this project is to find out how the local people of Urtsadzor and Lusashogh communities of Ararat region have been affected by wolf and bear attacks on livestock, how they deal with such attacks on livestock and to recommend a better course of action to protect the species named above.

“I have been pleasantly surprised at how rich the culture and history of Armenia is, not to mention how wonderful the open air of the cafes and wine bars are. Everyone has been so friendly and welcoming making it easy to feel at home” says Lisa and confesses that prior to coming to Armenia she knew next to nothing about it.