Mapping Sheep and Goat Biodiversity in the Apulia Region: The LOCAL Project

The LOCAL project, ‘Biodiversity and enhancement of local sheep and goat genotypes with a predominant aptitude for milk production’, was developed in the Apulia region of Southern Italy. It adopted a multidisciplinary scientific approach to address the conservation of native sheep and goat breeds, and it aimed to engage a wide and diverse audience to contribute to the development of the territory. This work outlines some of the project’s objectives and, in particular, the activities relating to the historical documentation, census and morphological characteristics of four breeds: the Gentile di Puglia sheep and the Grigia del Subappennino Dauno, Capestrano Pugliese and Antica Murgiana goat breeds. The project’s results enabled the four breeds to be registered in the Regional Register of Animal Genetic Resources, paving the way for further initiatives aimed at implementing in situ and ex situ conservation of the breeds’ genetic heritage. Furthermore, the paper presents actions aimed at raising awareness of the importance of animal biodiversity and native populations, with a particular focus on education, tourism, and productive services.