A notable improvement
The passing of the wolf's status from “strictly protected” to “protected” it goes in the right direction both for the protection of the species and for the protection of livestock farms, especially in the internal and rural areas of the country. The national president of Cia-Agricoltori Italiani, Cristiano Fini, thus comments on the proposal of the EU Commission which follows up on important work, in this sense, also carried out by the Confederation. Given the significant improvement in conservation status, the wolf no longer needs rigorous protection and what was presented this morning in Brussels emerges as the necessary adaptation path within the framework of the Bern International Convention on European Wildlife and Natural Habitats . Furthermore, it shows that it recognizes the in-depth analysis on the presence of the wolf in the member countries, carefully conducted also by the CIA for the national context.
The man-nature balance
“The construction of a new man-nature balance is increasingly crucial if we consider the strategic role for the maintenance and development of internal areas, represented by our livestock farming and rural communities. It is now up to the member states - declares Fini - to decide on the EU proposal and together with the Government to build a virtuous path both in respect of the environment and wild animals, towards breeders and farmers, true custodians of the territory". Furthermore, Fini concludes: “It is necessary to pursue the effective use of the exemptions provided by the directives to prevent serious damage to livestock, crops, fisheries, forests and in the interests of public health and safety and for other imperative reasons of important interest public, both social and economic in nature".
Data on the wolf in Italy
In recent decades the species has expanded naturally across much of Italy where, overall, the presence of around 3600 animals is estimated. Everywhere the population has grown. In particular, the most significant increase was recorded in the Alps and in the internal areas of the country the greatest damage to livestock was found, but not only. Continuous attacks on flocks greatly worry farmers due to the uncontainable burden that predatory action generates on the now minimal economic resources of an activity that remains the key and indispensable element of the economy of marginal territories (source: CIA).