"Now not a single day goes by that our offices, located throughout the region, do not receive testimonies, accompanied by a lot of Photo and video, by our associates harassed by an emergency that has reached levels no longer tolerable". It is the bitter outburst of the Regional Director of Coldiretti Molise, Aniello Ascolese, who, once again denouncing the drama of the situation dictated by the damage caused by wildlife, today focuses attention on wolves and the damage this species is causing to farms. "Wild boars weren't enough, who daily raze fields to the ground, dig holes, attack farmers at work and cause road accidents, even fatal, because today - adds Ascolese sarcastically - in their support the wolves also arrive".
Yes, because this predator, which in the past decades had run the risk of reaching the threshold of extinction, has now resumed to populate our territories. A presence that certainly certifies the quality of our environment, but on the other hand is creating many problems for farmers. Indeed, during 2020, the numerous herds that populate our mountains have preyed upon hundreds of animals, in particular foals, cattle and sheep and goats. In the event of an attack on the flocks, in addition to the loss of the animals, the shepherds see the production of milk drastically decrease, due to the stress they suffer, while pregnant leaders abort: an incalculable economic damage. It is not possible for those who farm in the wild to enclose the pastures, we are talking about very vast extensions.
For this reason, last May, Coldiretti asked the Region for intervene with a mapping of the areas, classifying them in relation to the effective risk rate; this to modulate prevention measures differently and to distinguish true wolves from hybrids within the species. In the first case, the animals will certainly be protected, in the second it will be necessary to put in place a withdrawal plan, also to safeguard the species. “It is necessary and urgent - warns the Confederal Delegate of Coldiretti Molise, Giuseppe Spinelli - to intervene on an issue which, if not managed, will make it impossible to breed in the wild; an agricultural activity strongly oriented towards the enhancement and protection of biodiversity.
The situation - explains Spinelli - is much more serious than we think. The inability to ensure a balance between the presence of farms and that of wildlife, which is now out of control, seriously risks causing a distortion of natural habitats and the abandonment of inland and mountain areas, with evident effects on the hydrogeological structure of the territory that would have repercussions on the entire community, especially considering the increasingly evident climatic displacements. The limit - concludes the Confederal Delegate of Coldiretti - is about to be exceeded and we cannot afford it "(Source: Coldiretti Molise).