Management and containment
“The “Extraordinary Plan for the management and containment of wild fauna and the wild boar species” has been approved, a fundamental tool to support Abruzzo farmers and the safety of citizens which places the Abruzzo region at the forefront in Italy in the field” – this is what the vice president of the regional council with responsibility for Agriculture and Hunting, Emanuele Imprudente, announced on the sidelines of yesterday's council meeting, regarding “control” activities, i.e. the activities to be carried out on a species with the aim of protecting biodiversity, zoo-agricultural-forestry and fish production, public safety and road safety.
The various predictions
“In particular – declares Vice President Imprudente – we have foreseen:
the innovative figure of the tutor, a selector indicated directly by the individual farmer, who can be activated more quickly in the event of the presence of wild boars on cultivated land;
the introduction of the “girata” technique managed not only by the provincial police, but also by the Territorial Hunting Areas (ATC) with the coordination of volunteer game wardens and specific persons responsible for the “girata” who are appropriately trained and with the help of trained dogs;
the simplification of the methods of disposal of the viscera of slaughtered animals, making them quicker and less expensive, without prejudice to the health analyses that are still required”.
Danger of swine fever
The other actions already implemented by the Region regarding "control", in addition to those provided for by national legislation, also include the expansion of the list of entities implementing the culling plans and the possibility of interventions in urban areas with an order from the Mayor, after consulting ISPRA. "The further objective - adds Imprudente - is to achieve greater collaboration in the management of wild fauna also in those parts of the Abruzzo territory not under the jurisdiction of the Region, such as protected areas, in order to achieve important results also within these areas, as already noted with the Sirente Velino Regional Park". “It is important to underline – continues Imprudente – that the Abruzzo Region has also been active for some time on the danger of African Swine Fever (ASF): in May 2022, the council approved its own Regional Urgent Intervention Plan (PRIU), established the Territorial Operations Group (GOT), transmitted the Extraordinary Plan to ATC, Parks and nature reserves, with the aim of achieving the objectives indicated by the National Extraordinary Commissioner, and extended wild boar hunting from 3 to 4 months”.
Further innovations
In order to contain wild boars, the control activity also includes “selective hunting”, that is, planned killing with the aim of avoiding overpopulation and the consequent damage to people and crops, and to the ecosystem and other local fauna species, for which the following innovations approved by ISPRA are already planned:
extension of collection hours until midnight;
use of light sources to improve night vision (infrared visors, thermal visors, torches and headlights);
from 2024, selective hunting will start on January 1st.
The financial commitment of the Region is also important, as it has allocated the following funds for the prevention of damage caused by wild fauna:
100.000 euros to the Zooprophylactic Institute (IZSAM) for an experimental project within six nature reserves in the provinces of Chieti and Pescara with the aim of testing an innovative approach to capture that from the first tests is giving excellent results;
450.000 euros for the creation of game meat collection and staging centers, to support the correct management of the collected animals;
4.150.000 euros for the construction of fences to prevent damage to agricultural businesses (Intervention 4.4.2. of the PSR and SRD04 of the CSR).
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