pour les Animaux du Monde, Vaduz/Liechtenstein. Karakachan horse The Karakachan horse was the most consolidated breed from all the local primitive horses. This is due to the very conservative livestock breeding traditions of karakachan nomads. They had used these horses for transportation of their whole household, during the seasonal migrations. The pasture had been the only food for those animals. The horses which had not been currently used by people had stayed all year round high in the mountain in groups taking care about themselves. Even during cold winters they had found food and protected themselves from predators. Each Karakachan man had owned 50-100 horses in the past. In 1940s this number was decreased to 10-15 and seldom 50 animals from which 5 – 10 breeding mares from old breeding lines. In 1957-58 after the government took away the livestock from private owners, the Karakachan horses have not been in use by the state farms anymore. They had been just killed or exported for meat (mostly to Italy). Attempts have been made in the state farms to "improve" the breed by crossbreeding with Hucul, Kabardin or Kabarda and Haflinger. Till now the government does not have policy to save the aboriginal breeds of horses. There is no promotion of their valuable qualities. According to the Red Data List of autochthonic forms of domestic animals(1994) the Karakachan horse is put in category II – disappearing forms (or critical). The census made by the SEMPERVIVA project in 2002, registered 362 animals. Read and see more about the Karakachan horse in this study from the Department of Animal Science – Non-Ruminant and Other Animals, Faculty of Agriculture, Trakia University. Karakachan dog The Karakachan dog is an ancient breed of livestock guarding dog. It originates from the shepherd dogs of the ancient Thracians and Asian Livestock guardian dogs of the proto-Bulgarians. Karakachan people had bred this dog conservatively and had formed its present type. Due to its perfect working qualities this breed has been widely used by shepherds in Bulgaria. Similarly to the above two breeds, the socialist regime almost manages to annihilate the Karakachan dog. Up to day the government has not supported the breed survival in any way, except including it in the Red Data List of the autochthonic forms of domestic animals as a disappearing breed (or critical). Semperviva started the work for saving the Karakachan dog in 1992. Since the