Hunting and Fauna: Genoa, wild boar emergency, they attack in packs; damage to crops, invasions of fields and attacks on hunting dogs. Urgent measures needed.
In the province of Genoa there is a wild boar alarm; the ungulates destroyed entire crops, attacked and killed hunting dogs and stormed the Rapallo golf course. The extraordinary commissioner of the Province of Genoa, Piero Fossati, reassured the matter, "We discussed the matter in the prefecture in an urgent meeting, he intervenes and we have come to the conclusion that it is necessary to issue ordinances: the first must concern the absolute prohibition of giving from feed these animals ". One of the reasons why the wild boar population is growing exponentially is to be found in the fact that the females of this species are too precocious and already four months are pregnant instead of six months. On the question Fossati commented, “Our region is the only reality in Italy where this inexplicable phenomenon occurs. Research by the university has established that in Europe only Germany and Spain, particularly near the cities of Berlin and Barcelona, have to deal with this problem and no one has yet found the solution ”.
The main problem of the current situation is however represented by the fact that the wild boars move in herd in consistent groups, up to thirty specimens. Fossati stressed that “such numerous branches have never been reported, Fossati points out and when you are in front of an 80-kilo beast with a little family in tow, there is trouble because it is like being in front of a moving train. Taking them down has become a matter of public safety ”. In the woods above the Montallegro sanctuary a pack attacked and killed a hunting dog.
Damage to agriculture is another serious and long-standing problem; in the area of the mountain of Portofino, Rapallo and Santa Margherita the population of wild boars is so numerous that reports of crops devastated by the passage of these ungulates multiply exponentially. Fossati explained that “The farmers are on their knees, because when the boar passes, it only sows destruction. Furthermore, the phenomenon is also affecting Cogoleto and Arenzano and I am afraid that huge herds are heading towards Genoa ”. In fact, the animals could easily cross the openings of the ancient collapsed walls, from the fields of Fregoso, from the woods of Begato, from the first hills of Valbisagno, easily reaching via Cabella, via Chiodo and via Carso, where specimens of wild boars have already been reported in the past. while rooting in the flower beds and near the houses.
Finally Fossati concluded, "It is necessary to proceed with selected jokes, but everyone, and I mean animal welfare associations, must understand that we are facing a real danger, which must be faced without wasting precious time. I will ask the Police Headquarters to intervene for matters of public order to protect our Provincial Police engaged in the hunts, to prevent anyone from being in the hunting areas to prevent this selection which, I repeat, we are forced to make before the situation precipitates ".
30 May 2013