On the occasion of the protest of the Calabrian farmers scheduled for today, newspapers and other media outlets were overwhelmed by ccommunications and statements coming from a bit of a whole range of stakeholders. The only one to keep silent, until now, has been the hunting world. This is why the Coordination of the Calabrian Hunting Associations (Federcaccia, Libera Caccia, Enalcaccia, Arci Caccia, Italcaccia, ANUUMigratoristi and EPS) decided to clarify the matter. The hunters, listed as the cause of the boar problem they are actually the only category that, as stated, can be said constantly alongside farmers in defense of their work and of the institutions themselves to protect public safety that the proliferation of the species puts more and more in jeopardy.
The situation in the region is by no means unique, but the management of the wild boar problem involves a large part of the Italian territory and requires the involvement and comparison between all the actors involved that has not yet been implemented or, at least, not exhaustively, even if from experiences (positive and more often negative) from other regions can be learned. The main problem of Calabria is the lack of effective governance of the territory that must be developed with the contribution of all stakeholders - and enabled to function - in a secular way and based on objective assumptions, free from biased or worse abstract and ideological views.
The hunters and the associations that represent them are ready to do their part, but they cannot replace the skills of others, first of all the local and national institutions, which have not been able to give life to an organic systemwell coordinated management, if not addressing the problem with spot and partial solutions. In much of the country the real problem in perspective (especially for farmers) will be the sharp decline in the number of hunters, chi will one day deal with the control of problematic species, including those that are not yet today and that will become such in the near future? The hunters, well trained and adequately addressed, are a precious social resource, to be valued, not to be blamed for short-term instrumental purposes or for lack of foresight.