The measures adopted by the Italian government to combat theCovid-19 epidemic they have direct repercussions on wildlife management, especially on those that involve the participation of numerous volunteers (for example the counts of ungulates or galliformes). Consequently, if the rules restricting the mobility of individuals and their aggregation for non-professional reasons make it impossible to carry out population counts or estimates, the undersigned Institute will adopt, in a totally exceptional way and limited to the 2020 hunting season. / 21, alternative procedures for the evaluation of the extraction plans of Cervidi, Bovidi and Galliformi; however, a declaration from the requesting Administration will be required in which the reasons that prevented the activities from being carried out are reported, citing the government measures, the methods that would have been used without restrictions and the periods in which the calculations were scheduled (referring to the dates used in the 2019 season).
Detailed indications are provided below for the different species.
Boar
With regard to a correct monitoring of wild boar populations, the need and usefulness of collecting data both on sampling interventions (in hunting, with any technique, and in control), and on wild boars killed during these actions in all Institutes present in the area. Information on the extent of the culling effort carried out (eg number of hunts carried out, number of hunters involved, number of dogs used, number of selection outings carried out, number of active cages, georeferencing of the actions carried out, etc.) and on the animals killed (eg sex, age - at least if the animal is more or less than 1 year old - and weight; georeferencing of the slaughter) appear essential to have a more complete picture of the distribution of wild boars in the area and allow a more articulated assessment both the phenomenon of the impacts caused by the species, and the effectiveness of the management planning undertaken, in terms of hunting and control activities adopted. Please refer to the Guidelines for the management of wild boar (Monaco et al., 2003) for an exhaustive description of the methods of data collection and analysis.
Having said this, it should be noted that the sampling plans for wild boar selection hunting cannot in any way be based on the results of spring counts from fixed (or advantageous) points, or any other methods (eg hunts, lighthouse counts, camera trapping) to which analysis techniques that are not sufficiently robust and which do not ensure the definition of reliable indications on the trend of presences are applied. In general, therefore, given the difficulty of being able to carry out reliable censuses of this species, it is considered acceptable, from a technical point of view, that the sampling plans are defined on the basis of:
1) culling data (in hunting and control) of the previous season;
2) data on the extent and distribution of the impacts caused by the species (damage to agriculture, road accidents, impacts on biodiversity), in relation to management objectives.
Therefore, since the spring counts are not essential for defining the selective withdrawal plans for wild boar, from a technical point of view, their failure to implement them does not represent a limit either for the drafting of the withdrawal plans structured by sex and age classes, nor for their subsequent evaluation by Ispra.
Cervidae and Bovidae
With regard to the populations of wild species belonging to these taxa and subjected to sampling in selection, it should be noted that, in the expression of the opinions relating to the sampling plans proposed seasonally, Ispra mainly evaluates three parameters:
1) direct counts or estimates with sampling methods of the populations object of the sampling (see "Guidelines for the management of Ungulates: Cervidae and Bovidae" produced by this Institute) in order to evaluate the trend of the population at least in the last 5 years ( through the calculation of the annual profit increase) and the structure of the present population;
2) realization of the previous plan, evaluating how much this has deviated in the overall value and in the structure from what is proposed; it should be noted that the plans implemented can be indicative both of the effort actually achievable and of the population actually present in the area;
3) management objectives possibly defined for the specific territorial unit (eg areas not suitable for use).
In the impossibility of the managing bodies to carry out some monitoring activities as a result of the prohibitions deriving from the legislative measures in force to combat the Covid-19 epidemic and from those that will eventually come into force in the near future, this Institute will express the own opinions taking into account the historical series of the results of the hunting management carried out in the last 5 years (counts, proposed sampling plans, sampling carried out) and the management objectives envisaged for the individual districts or management sectors. The Administrations are therefore invited to formulate any requests for opinion by attaching the information highlighted above and accompanied by maps in shapefile format (.shp) of the management districts.
Having said this, it should be noted that the current provisions regarding the mobility and aggregation of natural persons, being in force until April 3, do not appear to affect for now the counting activities with the block census method, usually used for chamois.
Furthermore, as regards the Deer and the Roe Deer, it is believed that the method of night counting with the lighthouse (see "Guidelines" mentioned above) carried out by Institute personnel (provincial police, ATC / CA technicians, freelancers, employees of public or private administrations), could be a valid alternative, where applicable, for determining a certain minimum number of populations of these species.
Finally, it should be noted that information obtained with alternative methods (use of photo traps, pellet group count, distance sampling associated with infrared thermography, biometric indices of the population, etc.) may also be taken into consideration, together with previous hunting management data. , for the evaluation of the proposed withdrawal plans.
Rock Partridge, Sardinian Partridge and Black Grouse
The sustainable management of these species is based on the spring monitoring of populations (with the method of playback or passive listening) and with the verification of reproductive success in late summer (with the help of pointing dogs), therefore in the absence of this information for the current year, it is considered appropriate to exclude Rock Partridge, Sardinian Partridge and Black Grouse from sampling in the 2020/21 hunting season. If only the data concerning the late summer monitoring are available, it will be possible to request the opinion for sampling plans formulated on the basis of the certain minimum number of animals contacted in each management district.
Exceptions to the measures to combat Covid-19 and mobility of individuals for hunting and wildlife control activities.
In relation to the possibility of proceeding with selective killing or control interventions, it should be noted that any assessments regarding the advisability of continuing with these activities in this period do not fall within the competence of this Institute.