They are devastating the agricultural plots cultivated with wheat of Porto Tolle and, more generally, of Delta del Po. Not only. They make dangerous holes, which sometimes turn into real tunnels, in the banks of the canals, putting hydrogeological safety itself at risk. Throughout the province, the nutria phenomenon now seems to be out of control, with even 220 thousand animals estimated in the countryside. Hence the decision to convene an ad hoc operational meeting by the Prefect, Maddalena De Luca. “The nutria - emphasizes the director of Bye Rovigo, Paolo Franceschetti - cause very serious problems to crops and to the entire Polesano hydraulic system.
The activities put in place for their containment are proving to be completely insufficient ". In the last period the catches marked in the appropriate registers have been "Only" 11.000. Too few, according to Cia Rovigo. Just as the nine provincial guards qualified for night shooting are not enough (however, only once a week). “A bureaucratic streamlining is needed in relation to issue of containment permits -Comments Andrea Medea, technical manager of Cia Rovigo-. In addition, groups of volunteers must be set up, made up of hunters and farmers, able to act quickly where the problem arises.
They don't have to be as well provincial guards during the interventions ". Given that the otters know no borders, “it is essential to operate throughout the territory, even in protected areas or inside the Po Delta Park. The goal is definitive eradication, there are no alternatives ”. This animal feeds mainly on plant parts, among which it prefers roots, tubers and rhizomes. "They move in a subtle way - clarifies the president of Cia Rovigo, Jordan Garlic-.
They usually build dens near the embankments, which inevitably collapse in case of transit of tractors and agricultural vehicles in general. The loss of crops is therefore compounded by a danger for the farmer himself and for the entire hydrogeological balance ". “They dig holes, which reach a depth of 5 and a half meters: which is why a void is created under the surface of the land. The burrows are not seen, passing over them the tractors can even overturn ”. Furthermore, this species has a very high reproductive potential: the female can be fertilized throughout the year and even a few hours after giving birth. There are usually 5 or 6 babies given birth.