A long-awaited measure
The Puglia Region and the University of Bari (DBBA – Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Environment) have signed an agreement for the monitoring and management activities of the monk parakeet With the approval of the "Initial Guidelines for the Management, Control, and Removal of Nests in the Region." This important measure intends to approve the initial operational guidelines for managing the European monk parakeet population in Puglia, with specific reference to the removal of nests in critical conditions. These guidelines, developed in collaboration with the DBBA of the University of Bari, define intervention protocols, selectivity criteria for the protection of native biodiversity, and disposal methods for the removed material in accordance with current health regulations.
Exorbitant numbers
Starting May 20th, specific training will begin for licensed hunters and private landowners, aimed at reducing the now exorbitant number of parakeets, which also threatens the survival of other species and disrupts the balance of our ecosystems. These birds, a species of South American origin, ravage buds and early fruit formation during the most delicate stages of their development. They are fond of almonds, figs, and cherries, but are also known to consume other types of fruit. The problem is particularly severe in the areas of Bitonto, Molfetta, Ruvo, Terlizzi, Binetto, and many other municipalities in the Bari Metropolitan Area. Parakeets are an invasive alien species and primarily target orchards.
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When the invasion began
Climate change may have favored the rapid acclimatization of a species accustomed to warmer, more humid climates. The invasion of these birds began in Molfetta over 20 years ago, but since then, the green parakeets have multiplied, making their presence felt in the areas of Bisceglie, Giovinazzo, Palese, Bitonto, Palo del Colle, and other localities, reaching as far as the Alta Murgia, threatening the rural landscape and damaging tree and fruit crops. Typically, these birds forage for fresh or soft seasonal fruit, but farmers are also concerned about agricultural equipment, such as irrigation systems, which are being damaged by the birds while they drink. Parakeets can also pose a serious threat to other crops, such as cherries, peaches, apricots, and even table grapes.
Not a simple resolution
"It is necessary to restore an environmental balance that has been lost for many years," emphasized CIA Puglia. "Starlings, green parakeets, wolves, wild boars: various wildlife species have increased dramatically in number. They are voracious, devouring entire fields of legumes, ruining wheat fields, and attacking orchards. The problem is enormous. Numerous wild species have altered the pre-existing balance. Solving the problem is not easy, but measures like the one adopted by the Puglia Region finally point to a concrete path forward." (Source: CIA Puglia)
Hunting is an ancestral instinct like other human instincts. It is not a sport. The CONI and the Federation have done the damage of wanting to improperly classify it as a sport. Vittorio