THEcovid emergency, between lockdown and red zones, helped to make the damage to crops caused by wild boars. In the Bi1 plain area alone, according to the data disclosed by President Guido Dellarovere, the requests for compensation for 2020 amount to 356 thousand euros, a + 43% compared to the previous year (249 thousand euros); in the mountains the figure is stable at 47 thousand euros, only one thousand euros more than in 2019. "Hunters in 2020 killed 1213 wild boars throughout the Province, compared to 881 in 2019, proof of an exceptional commitment - explains Dellarovere - .
However, one figure is emblematic: in the mountains, lockdown or not, the damage is stable, while in the plains it is different: with people locked up in the house, the animals have had fewer occasions of disturbance ». Damages are compensated 90% by the Region and the rest by the ATC or CA, based on where the plot of land is located. If the area falls within a no-hunting area, to pay is the Province for a marginal share of 10%. The Biella sector is among the most virtuous in Piedmont, in terms of speed of appraisals and reimbursements: in the plains the whole of 2019 has already been paid, while in the mountains the 2020 practices are being settled in recent weeks.
«Sorry that the damage is growing, but this proves - concludes Dellarovere - that attention must be paid to these rapidly growing species. Only with timely containment, and for this my thanks go to all hunters, can we mitigate the effects of this proliferation. With a view to training and greater contrast, we remind you that reservations for team leader courses for wild boar expire by the end of the month, selection hunting within the parks in collaboration with the managing body ". For the president of Coldiretti Biella-Vercelli, Paolo Dellarole, the numbers highlight the gravity of the situation, which risks getting out of control. «It is no longer just a problem of farmers - explains Dellarole -, it is becoming a matter of public safety due to the increasingly frequent traffic accidents. An extraordinary plan would be needed, with the possibility of cutting down all year round even in protected areas "(The print).