beginning a breeding station has been established, where the breeding process is made on the base of aboriginal dogs. A breed standard and a herd book were worked out. An International Karakachan Dog Association was founded. Semperviva has always aimed to save this breed as a working dog with its original qualities. In this aspect, since 1997, in cooperation with the Balkani Wildlife Society, dogs have been provided to livestock breeders for protection of their flocks against predators. In this way it is aimed to decrease the conflict between people and large carnivores (wolves and bears) and to restore the breed in its natural environment. This particular project has been supported by several foundations in different years of its implementation: European Natural Heritage Fund – Euronatur, GzSW, UK Wolf Conservation Trust and Alertis. Thanks to these activities there is a slight trend of increase of working dogs. The three breeds, subject of the project have been selected by Karakachan people, which are ancient, autochthonic, ethnic group of nomad livestock breeders. The three breeds, which are one of the oldest in Europe, had been numerous in Bulgaria before the nationalization of the private property during the socialist regime. As a consequence of that time politics in the farming practice, these breeds have been massively crossbred with foreign more productive ones and also huge numbers of them have been exterminated without control. All this have brought these karakachan breeds to the edge of extinction. In addition, nowadays the mountain livestock breeding is a losing practice. The government does not actively stimulate private livestock breeders to keep and work with autochthonic breeds. Project results In the frames of the project was achieved following results: Investigation of the available literature about the three breeds and collection of personal comments was done. Field investigations and census of the three breeds are conducted. A project base was built up. Herds of Karakachan sheep and Karakachan horse were established. Selection in direction to the old, original type and increasing the numbers is conducted. Traditional breeding using vertical, seasonal transhumant migration is practiced. Village and horse tourism are being developed. Public awareness activities were done. Goals for future action The conservation measures that are needed for saving karakachan breeds could apply towards saving of all the autochthonic breeds in Bulgaria. Semperviva is thus working towards achieving the following points: Creating legislation to enable conservation, as there is currently