Uncontrolled increase
Coldiretti Molise expresses appreciation for the sensitivity shown by the Prefect of Campobasso, Her Excellency Michela Lattarulo, regarding the wild boar emergency. The importance and urgency of the meeting, requested by Coldiretti Molise, has in fact pushed the Prefect to convene, on Monday 27th, a special meeting at Government Palace, attended by the Regional Director Aniello Ascolese, to address the long-standing problem of the uncontrolled increase of the species in the regional territory. The importance of the meeting was also highlighted by the participation of the Extraordinary Commissioner for African Swine Fever, Vincenzo Caputo, of the Regional Councilor for Agriculture, Salvatore Micone, as well as of the President of the Province of Campobasso, Giuseppe Puchetti, of the Regional Delegate of the ANCI, of experts from ISPRA, of the Head of the Veterinary Service of the Prevention Department of the ASReM, of a representative of the Carabinieri Forestali Molise Group, of the regional President of the CIA, Giuseppe Santoianni, and of the regional vice President of Confagricoltura, Serafino Bulmetti.
An impressive number
“During the meeting – stated Director Aniello Ascolese – the problem emerged in all its seriousness linked to the uncontrolled increase in wild boars in the regional territory which – he underlined – can be quantified at around 40 thousand specimens; a number far from the two animals per square kilometer indicated for maintaining the balance of the ecosystem". As reported incessantly in recent years by Coldiretti, these animals are causing enormous damage to companies and to agricultural and livestock production as well as representing a real danger for the safety of citizens by penetrating more and more frequently into inhabited centers and causing road accidents, including fatal ones." .
Lines of intervention
“A problem, this of the exponential increase in the number of wild boars – added Ascolese – which becomes worse if we consider the risk of spreading Psa (African swine fever) of which wild boars are the main spreaders and which risks enormously damaging livestock farming ”. For this reason, Coldiretti has ensured the collaboration of the agricultural world in the implementation of the lines of intervention, adopted at a national level, for the management and containment of the same, in synergy with the institutions and bodies involved. With regard to the risks of a possible spread of the Psa, also in the region, Commissioner Caputo asked the Molise Region to draw up, in a short time, a control plan for the wild boar species, for the drafting of which it will avail itself of the support of institutions and territorial bodies, which will have to collaborate in the common objective. For his part, Councilor Micone assured the Region's commitment, also highlighting that the measures already implemented by the same, such as selection control and selection hunting, have already had positive results in terms of reducing the number of animals and to reduce the compensation costs paid by the Authority for damage caused by wildlife (source: Coldiretti Molise).