Fauna and Territory: Liguria, interrogation in the Regional Council by Francesco Bruzzone on the damage caused by wolves in the Alta Val di Vara.
The leader of the Northern League in the Regional Council of Liguria presented a question on the fact that in Alta Val di Vara there would be a high loss of sheep due to wolves and feral dogs. “This phenomenon causes unsustainable damage to the farmers of the valley to which the system does not give acceptable answers - he said - to the point that the sheep population is almost zero, as stated by an important agricultural association. I therefore ask the council what major interventions the regional council intends to activate to eliminate the damage that wolves and feral dogs create to the breeders of the Alta Val di Vara ”. In court Bruzzone remarked that the question was from last June and since then, as far as he knows, the situation has further worsened, and, in particular, the animals in question would get closer and closer to homes. The councilor for the environment, Renata Briano, replied to the council and first of all remarked that the very recent revision of law 29 (Regional regulations for the protection of homeothermic fauna and for hunting) allows for the activation of new interventions. The commissioner explained that at the time of the presentation of the question it did not appear "to this structure that in Alta Val di Vara there had been an impressive loss of sheep, due to wolves and feral dogs, but a certain number, not particularly high losses of animals, due to probable predation by canids, which can include both wolves and wandering dogs and this is a problem we have in the area. In fact, there have been reports of some such incidents in the area.
For some time, the staff involved in the regional wolf project have been in contact with the breeders in the area, proposing the use of prevention systems, provided free of charge to breeders. Not everyone accepted the offer, but many expressed interest in the initiative. As for the wolf, a little throughout the Region we have seen that where breeders somehow agree to work on prevention, this works. Furthermore, it does not appear to this structure that in the Alta Val di Vara the sheep population is almost zero, as the interpellation says, despite the predations that occurred. I repeat - he added - that the only way to guarantee the safety of the flock is the adoption of means of prevention and surveillance, the presence of the shepherd, trained guard dogs, electrified fences, acoustic deterrents ”.
Briano pointed out: “Now, in reality, with law no. 29 and a chapter dedicated to damage, we will discuss, together with the ATC, on how to do it ". The commissioner added: “We participated in the proposal of a LIFE Project on the subject, which was successful among other things, on which further work can be done to provide equipment to breeders throughout the region. Furthermore, there have also been numerous training meetings on this topic: as regards the Val di Vara, one was held in Zignago, just last year, to discuss the problem with breeders and administrators, together with the Mayor, to the Provincial Police, to the ASL, to the Region and also to about fifty breeders, who were presented with the Regional Project and also the planned prevention activities, to protect the farms and drastically reduce the damage.
On the occasion of that meeting, all the equipment to build the electrified fence was given to a farmer free of charge and several other farmers, given these concrete facts, showed interest in extending the protection to their farms as well. For compensation, the Provincial Police announced that recently farmers who have suffered the damage have been compensated.
I would like to remind you that a leaflet of the “Chi u l'è u lô” series is being distributed in the region, this time reserved for breeders, with useful information on correct prevention. The "brochure" is the result of a positive collaboration of all the participants in our Project and the ASL ".
Bruzzone declared himself dissatisfied with the answer because it is not possible to “unload” the problem on prevention and resort to hunters for compensation, which are made thanks to the proceeds deriving from the payment of the hunting tax.
29 May 2014
Liguria region