Walking along the ancient trratturo down to Chieti Scalo, then up the train and almost one day later they were in Apulia. More recently trucks came right to the stables to carry the sheep southward. Leotizio Germano remembers his times as a shepherd. But this might be the last year, owing to the great fear of afta, the contagious sheep disease.

Already a star, Senta, a young Abruzzese shepherd dog coming from a dog breeder in Pratola, is expected to teach other dogs how to protect sheep from predators, especially wolves, without killing them, as USA environmentalists would like. The Abruzzese shepherd dog is the result of thousands of years of selection made by the Abruzzese mountain population. Senta's picture is also on the Web, at http://www.all-animals.com/groveland/dogs.html

The 11th edition of the Oasis day tomorrow with activities organized by the Wwf in themany Abruzzese oases:i lago di Serranella, abetina di Rosello, cascate del Rio Verde, lecceta di Casoli, lago di Penne, sorgenti del Pescara, gole del Sagittario, calanchi di Atri.

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