Meet the Maremmas: Guardians of Patagonia

Everyone knows that dogs are man’s best friend. But down in Patagonia, they’re also great guardians, playing a crucial role in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem.

They do that by their incredible canine skills to protect flocks of sheep in the heart of Chilean Patagonia.

For many years, the puma posed a constant threat to the families who dedicated their lives to sheep farming — a noble and traditional activity in southern Chile. By the 20th century, the puma threat had reached such a level that many families resorted to hiring hunters to chase down the big cats, which were merely searching for food.

As time passed, sheep ranchers realized that hunting the puma was not a sustainable solution. That’s when José Antonio Kusanovic, a member of the founding family of Las Torres Patagonia, devised a new strategy.

The idea came to him while watching a Chilean television show that featured the Maremma, a breed of shepherd dog in North America which helped protect livestock from predators like bears, wolves, coyotes, and even mountain lions.

Originally from Italy, the Maremma is a mastiff breed that’s easily recognizable by its large size, sturdy and muscular body, and thick white coat. Thanks to their keen hearing and sense of smell, they can detect predators immediately and ward them off with barking and a brave stance.

After training them and integrating them into the sheep flocks at Las Torres, the results were astounding. From losing 900 sheep in a year, the number dropped to just 15! Not only did José Antonio’s novel solution protect his sheep, but it also helped conserve the Patagonian puma.