The official note
For years, the coexistence of large predators and livestock farming in Italy seemed like a regulatory dead end, a bureaucratic limbo where farmers always paid the price, left to deal with predation damage alone. Finally, however, an official statement from ISPRA (the Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research) clarifies the situation once and for all. The letter, signed by Dr. Piero Genovesi and addressed to our president, Niccolò Sacchetti, dispels any false excuses: the regions and autonomous provinces have full power to act and can do so immediately. Let's explore together why this represents a concrete turning point and what changes it will bring for the protection of our livestock sector.
The new regulatory framework: more autonomy for the territories
The heart of ISPRA's clarification lies in the national implementation of the amendments adopted by the European Union, formalized by the decree of the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE) of November 6, 2025. The wolf has been officially moved to Annex E of Presidential Decree 357/97, effectively reducing its level of legislative protection. What does this mean in practice? Management of the species no longer requires exemptions from the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security, as decision-making authority has been transferred directly to the regions and autonomous provinces.
Because there are no more excuses to wait
The most positive aspect of ISPRA's letter is the significant simplification of bureaucratic procedures. The institute has unequivocally clarified the following points:
No more waiting for the national plan: The national plan for the species has been under discussion for over 10 years at the State-Regions Conference, but ISPRA has made it clear that this step is not required by any law and is not strictly necessary to activate management interventions.
ISPRA opinion is mandatory but not binding: Regions and autonomous provinces may adopt resolutions regarding the management and removal of problematic wolves after obtaining ISPRA's technical-scientific opinion, which is mandatory but not binding.
Full awareness of the damage: The institute confirmed its full awareness of the critical issues related to wolf predation on agricultural and livestock farms, collecting data to provide an objective basis and facilitate decision-making.
What changes in concrete terms?
This means the ball is now entirely in the regional governments' court. Those who continue to stall for time, hiding behind the excuse of "there's no national plan," are, in fact, ignoring the regulatory framework outlined by the technical body. It's no longer acceptable to simply side with farmers and then fail to follow through with action. Another excellent piece of news for livestock safety concerns the tools available to directly combat so-called "confident wolves," namely those wolves that have lost their fear of humans and are regularly approaching populated areas or protected pastures. Until now, the use of active deterrent tools was hampered by endless authorization procedures. ISPRA, however, clarifies that the use of rubber bullets for deterrent purposes can be independently regulated and authorized by the regions and autonomous provinces, without requiring any further authorization from the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security. This is a practical, immediate, and non-lethal tool for re-teaching the predator to stay away from human activities.
Deep pragmatism
ISPRA's position, in response to some of our specific questions, is a sign of profound pragmatism and closeness to the rural world. Recognizing that protecting biodiversity cannot ignore the survival of those who live and care for the land—the farmers—is the first step toward sustainable coexistence. Now the ball is in the regions' court: the legal instruments are in place, as are the technical guidelines. It's time to launch timely, effective, and courageous regional management plans. The time for waiting is officially over (source: AB – Agrivenatoria Biodiversitalia).
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