Management and control
The results of the project were presented this morning in the “Grotta delle farfalle” regional nature reserve in Rocca San Giovanni. Three-year plan (2023-2025) of management and control of wild boar populations present in the natural area that affects the territories of Rocca San Giovanni and San Vito Chietino. The report was illustrated to the press by Fabio Caravaggio, mayor of the Municipality of Rocca San Giovanni, Erminio Verì, deputy mayor of the Municipality of Rocca San Giovanni, Emiliano Bozzelli, mayor of San Vito Chietino, Fabio De Marinis, biologist and wildlife technician, and Antonio Miri, commander of the Provincial Police.
What has changed compared to 2022
The census, included in the current Plan, which marks a continuity with the previous one expired in December 2022, has recorded a decrease in the number of animals counted, which in 2024 are 96 compared to the 122 animals counted in 2023, the 236 in 2022 and the 257 in 2021. Data that underlines how the wild boar population of the Reserve is decreasing as a result of the Control Plan. The reduction occurred with the technique of selective killing from fixed positions, with a rifle equipped with an optical sight and non-toxic ammunition. During the 18 outings carried out from June 2023 to May 2024, a total of 25 wild boars were killed, which, if added to the 198 killed in previous years, make a total of 223 fewer wild boars since the beginning of the control activities, which dates back to 3 June 2020. The interventions also reduced damage to crops, limited the number of road accidents and preserved the naturalistic aspect in the 500 hectares of Reserve involved in the project.
Medium and small-sized crops
The ecological methods used in the last two years within the protected area have been electric fences to protect medium and small-sized crops, as well as checking for the absence of additional trophic resources near the Reserve that could attract wild animals. "After the positive outcome obtained with the 2020-2022 three-year plan for the management and control of wild boar populations in the Grotta delle Farfalle regional nature reserve, in the municipalities of Rocca San Giovanni and San Vito Chietino - explains the mayor of Rocca San Giovanni, Fabio Caravaggio - we wanted to replicate the tool for the three-year period 2023-2025 with even more satisfactory results. The scientific results, as well as the static data, are demonstrating how the actions implemented are able to protect the work of our farmers, protecting their crops and preserving the crops. For this reason, I thank all those who have worked to implement the Plan, starting with Dr. De Marinis, up to Commander Miri, to the selecontrollori and to the citizens who promptly reported the presence of ungulates in the territory. For next year we plan to also use alternative methods of containment of wild boars through fences and manholes. We want to do everything possible to safeguard our beauties and our economic activities”.
The national project
“The fact that our multi-year plan for the control of wild boar in the Reserve has entered a national project led by the Zooprophylactic Institute of Teramo and financed by the Abruzzo Region, which also includes Ispra and the University of Ferrara and – adds the mayor of San Vito Chietino, Emiliano Bozzelli – confirms first of all the importance of the results obtained in recent years by a cutting-edge initiative, but also the concreteness of the municipal administrations of Rocca San Giovanni and San Vito Chietino, effectively committed to protecting agriculture and road safety, with a drastic reduction in damage. Finally, it confirms the importance of loyal collaboration between institutions, in this case between two neighboring municipalities and the provincial police, to achieve common goals”.
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