Too sensational headlines
No, it's not about "whataboutism." In recent months we have witnessed yet another rekindling of controversy, accusations, and (mis)information campaigns on the role of hunting in biodiversity lossIt happens cyclically, especially when, as in this case, Parliament is trying to focus attention on a review and modernization of the relevant legislation—quite the opposite of a return to the past, therefore. Sensational headlines, a few indignant comments on social media from the usual green influencers, and here we are again, pinning hunters as the primary threat to the environment. But is that really the case? The objective and official data are there and have been known for some time. They are not provided by a hunting association, but by the European Environment Agency, and a careful reading is enough to reveal a completely different reality. It turns out that the pressure exerted by hunting on European species and habitats is minimal, almost negligible. Not marginal in opinion, but in numbers: less than 1% of the highest pressures reported by EU member states concern hunting.
The real causes
Other, much deeper and more structural factors negatively impact biodiversity: soil transformation; intensive agriculture; habitat fragmentation; the invasion of alien species; pollution; often-useless infrastructure; climate change, the cause of which is undeniable… All forces that act continuously on a continental scale, altering ecological balances far more than a regulated practice, limited to a few weeks a year and controlled, like hunting. Why then does the myth of hunting as the cause of all environmental ills persist? Because it's easy, because in the collective imagination of those unfamiliar with it and with little knowledge of the environment, the countryside, and nature, it conveys strong emotions, symbols, and images. And because it often deliberately confuses the legal with the illegal, ultimately equating hunting with poaching; the demand to align our hunting legislation with the rest of Europe as the "hunting Wild West"; Traditional hunts—and much of what is rural—are cruel anachronisms to be erased. A distorted presentation, but well-crafted and easily understood by the general public, always shouted much louder than the clarifications and truths we can counter.
Not a threat, but a guardian
Yet Italian hunters, like their European counterparts, not only do not pose a threat to biodiversity, but are often its silent guardians. They maintain habitats, clean canals and trails, report anomalies in the presence of invasive species, collaborate in scientific monitoring, and invest thousands of hours in voluntary work that no public body could sustain alone. In many rural areas, without the watchful eye of hunters, the landscape would be deprived of eyes and hands capable of competent intervention. The truth is that conservation requires pragmatism, not slogans. We need to build alliances, not imaginary enemies. Ignoring the contribution of the hunting world means losing an important part of active land management, precisely at a time when environmental challenges demand greater collaboration and fewer divisions.
The questions to ask yourself
Those who truly care about biodiversity should question the real causes of its decline, not perceptions or ideologies. They should advocate for agricultural policies that better reconcile fair farm income with sustainability; management plans that aren't just on paper; serious measures to combat pollution, land use, poor water management, and the myriad senseless constraints on rational woodland and forest management; the landscape sacrificed on the altar of the great green illusion and the absence of serious land-use planning in many areas. Blaming hunting is looking the wrong way. Easy, but wrong. Today more than ever, we need an honest debate, based on facts and not emotions. Yes, nature is under pressure, but not because of hunters. And continuing to repeat the opposite helps neither wildlife nor society, nor even democratic debate, but only the bottom lines of many environmental and anti-hunting associations. (Marco Ramanzini – FIDC).
You May Also Like ..
