Hunting to the harmful. On 8 April 2016, the ANUU Provincial Delegation of Piacenza, signed by its President Franco Mazza, wrote a letter to the Offices in charge of the Emilia Romagna Region and ISPRA regarding the Corvid Control Plan for the protection of wildlife, crops and animal husbandry.
In this letter it is pointed out that “the state of the natural populations of lagomorphs and phasianids in the Piacenza area - above all the plains - has objectively been in constant deterioration for some years. The causes, which are still under investigation, are in any case and in no way attributable to hunting, also because the decline is generalized and documented in areas where hunting is not allowed.
The hunters, however, faced with a cost of ATCs that remained unchanged, accepted a quantitative and temporal decrease in the hare bag, while continuing to provide an essential contribution to restoring environmental and agricultural damage. These sacrifices have not so far given the desired results and, in order to protect and if possible increase the native fauna of the hare, partridge and red partridge, as in the public intentions made known just in these days by all the Piacenza ATCs, this Association deems it necessary to ask this STACP to implement a multi-year control plan for the Hooded Crow and Magpie, both with “Larsen” type cages and with shotgun shooting.
In support of this request, it represents that 1) the control plan, successfully implemented a few years ago, has proved effective in limiting damage to crops and wildlife, the plan is also currently underway in many provinces of Emilia Romagna and neighboring Lombardy, it allows to mitigate the effect of predators on the new born hare, pheasant, partridge and red partridge (and not only species of hunting interest);
2) it is not clear how local institutions can declare a serious and credible will to protect, improve and increase the native fauna heritage, without considering the importance of the correct and continuous management of the so-called "predators"; and also how hunters can be asked for economic resources for the restoration of damage and for environmental improvements and to impose on them the limitations of hunting days and collection of animals when they then leave themselves free to multiply and plunder thousands of eggs and new born from flocks of gray crows and numerous magpies;
3) carrying out the control plan, it would also be possible to monitor the presence of subjects of these species carrying the "West Nile Virus" and "Trichinella", through the transfer and subsequent analysis of a sample or all of the culled animals at the “Tadini” experimental prophylactic zoo center in Gariga di Podenzano (PC).
It is now known and scientifically ascertained that these species: a) exert a significant impact on agricultural crops of corn, watermelon, tomato, on newly formed and pre-harvested fruits, with significant economic damage;
b) cause economic damage even in hunting farms for the above reasons;
c) have shown a growing and strong sense of adaptation and a marked intelligence, being able to overcome and overcome the initial fears of ecological methods after a few days, even if previously experienced (acoustic bollards cd cannons, "predator" balloons, tapes colored, raptor molds, chemical bollards, etc.);
d) ISPRA has already expressed itself favorably for the implementation of similar plans, in this province and in many neighboring provinces of Emilia Romagna and Lombardy (but not only);
e) the mere implementation, albeit previously experienced, of ecological methods and "Larsen" type trap cages, did not allow an effective and sufficient control of damage, especially in the vicinity of territories with particular problems (presence of landfills, waste collection points uncontrollable, repopulation and capture areas, high density of Hooded Crow etc. as well as a marked distrust of the target species towards trap cages ".
The hunters thus concluded their letter, trusting in a favorable and timely evaluation and sharing of the request expressed and in consideration of the positive feedback reported in the similar plans adopted in previous years, renewing their maximum availability for a concrete collaboration. We look forward to the answer!
(April 28, 2016)
ANUU