The note sent to the Region
The Tutela Rurale association, through its Veneto Regional Secretary Matteo Perra, has sent a formal warning and request to regional government leaders—including Regional Council President Alberto Stefani, Prime Minister Luca Zaia, and Agriculture Councilor Dario Bond—to request the immediate rejection of the petitions filed by animal rights and environmental groups seeking to block or suspend coypu (Myocastor coypus) eradication efforts. In the statement sent to the Region, Tutela Rurale expresses its firm and adamant opposition to any slowdown in containment plans, noting that coypu are listed as invasive alien species of concern in the European Union (EU Regulation No. 1143/2014).
Criticalities
The document highlights three fundamental critical points:
Damage to agriculture: The uncontrolled proliferation of the rodent devastates thousands of hectares of crops (corn, sugar beets, cereals, alfalfa, and vegetables) every year, with an estimated economic impact of several million euros on Veneto farms.
Hydrogeological instability and safety risks: The tunnels dug by coypus in the riverbanks (up to 5-6 meters deep) weaken the hydraulic structures, significantly increasing the risk of flooding during intense storms. Furthermore, there are frequent accidents involving tractors and agricultural machinery sinking into the cavities, posing a serious risk to the safety of workers in the sector.
Health emergency: The species is a known vector of infectious diseases transmissible to humans and animals, including Leptospirosis and Salmonellosis.
The association therefore calls for an immediate acceleration and strengthening of the Regional Eradication Plan, providing greater regulatory, technical, and financial tools to Land Reclamation Consortia, the Provincial Police, licensed hunters, and local operators.
The warning to the institutions
Should the Veneto Region give in to pressure from animal rights groups and ease its containment measures, Tutela Rurale believes the Administration will be held directly responsible for the material and economic damage caused. In that case, the association has already announced the organization of an extended protest in Venice, mobilizing farmers and citizens at the institutional headquarters of Palazzo Balbi and Palazzo Ferro Fini.
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