The estimate of specimens is out of control and the damage caused to crops and embankments in this period is considerable. And the association Free Cremonese Farmers relaunches: “We associations are not always able to give concrete answers to this great criticality, that is massive presence of nutria in our territory ”- opens the president Riccardo Crotti -. "The situation is degenerating, there is an impact on crops but also on other animal species and natural vegetation, as well as water risks and health aspects. The issue of business profitability also arises because only a minimal part of the damage is reimbursed ”.
The requests from the Cremona area and Lombardy in general were presented by Crotti al Undersecretary of the Mipaaf Gian Marco Centinaio and the regional councilor for the environment Raffaele Cattaneo in their visits a few weeks ago. “We need to work together: institutions, agricultural organizations, hunting associations and I also add the world of research”Explains Crotti. “We immediately set up a work table aimed at implementing the operational plans for the containment of this animal. It will be essential to involve the university world in the program, science can give us some useful indications regarding the procedure to follow, a modus operandi that could give excellent results, for example, is represented by sterilization ".
Institutions are called to divide the tasks in a timely manner, so that there are no overlaps. It must be clear who does what. In this sense the only goal is represented by the containment of these animals, for the good of the world of agriculture and civil society. With regard to the drafting of the program, in reality, a basis on which to set up the work already exists: it is the National Management Plan of the nutria. "In the document, prepared by the Ministry of the Environment and Ispra the methods of intervention aimed at containing the otters themselves are summarized. We need to make it applicable and work as a team so that farmers are not left alone to solve a problem that belongs to the whole community ".