HUNTING
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Hunting is the practice of capturing or killing animals, usually wild, to obtain food, skins or other materials or for recreational purposes. Hunting was certainly a primary source of sustenance in some phases of human evolution, that is, before the birth of breeding and agriculture, when man was a hunter-gatherer. Even today, hunting (possibly in the form of fishing) is the main source of protein in the diet of many communities, especially in the poorest countries in the world. In industrialized countries, hunting has lost its sustenance role, gradually becoming a primarily recreational activity or conducted for the purpose of trading the proceeds of capturing or killing animals. In this context, the term “hunting” generally refers to an activity approved by law, while poaching refers to hunting done in ways or in contexts that make it illegal. Hunting can also play a role in wildlife management, for example to keep the population of a certain species within the livelihoods of the ecological environment. In Italy, as in the United States and in many Western countries, forest rangers and ecologists participate in the writing of hunting regulations so that the permitted quotas and methods guarantee the preservation of wildlife. The capture of fish, or fishing also in its underwater expression (known as underwater hunting but even better underwater fishing), is not usually considered a type of hunting even if it shares many aspects. The trapping of animals with traps, in addition to being generally prohibited, is usually considered an activity separate from hunting.
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HISTORY |
Hunting is one of the oldest known activities as it certainly dates back to the birth of the Homo sapiens species. Although the most remote ancestors of the human species were mainly insectivores, finds have been found, dating back to 1.8 million years ago, which prove how hominids procured large animals for sustenance; however, it is not entirely clear whether they were predominantly active hunters or carrion gatherers. Hunting was a crucial component of hunter-farmer societies, before the first animals began to be domesticated and before the rise of agriculture. Fossil evidence of the use of spears for hunting has been found in Asia, dating back to around 16200 years ago. According to some historians, hunting may have contributed to the replacement of the megafauna of the Holocene with the smaller herbivores of later times. With the advent of language and culture, hunting became a recurring theme of stories and myths, but also of proverbs, metaphors and aphorisms many of which are still used today. The first hunting technique was probably the chase for exhaustion practiced by the men of the Paleolithic. Since the era predates the invention of throwing weapons, such as spears and bows, the only way to hunt prey was to chase it for long distances. Perhaps for this purpose the hominids became bipeds; the upright posture which reduces the running speed and therefore the chances of catching a prey after a short chase, but allows a better duration and can favor hunting for exhaustion. The development of sweat glands (absent in most mammals) and the lack of hair in humans may also have favored this type of hunting by keeping the body temperature low enough during a long run in the heat of the day. Hunting for exhaustion is still practiced by hunter-gatherers in the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa. During a hunting party aimed at the exhaustion of a central Kalahari antelope, the animal is not targeted with bullets but only chased. The air temperature can be between 40 and 42 ° C and the hunt can last from two to 5 hours for a total distance between 25 and 30 km. The hunter chases the antelope which escapes until it is out of sight; however chasing him running at a good pace and the hunter manages to reach him before he has had time to rest in the shade. At some point the prey is too exhausted to keep running and can be killed at a short distance with a spear. Although domesticated animals became quite widespread, hunting continued to be an important source of food even after the development of agriculture. Materials and additional nourishment from hunting included proteins, bones to be processed, tendons, fur or feathers, raw hides and leather used for the production of clothing and the construction of shelters. The first throwing weapons were stones, spears (sometimes equipped with a propeller, or atlatl), bows and arrows. In the ancient high reliefs, particularly in Mesopotamin, kings were often represented as hunters grappling with large beasts, such as lions; usually on a war chariot, considered a virile symbol. The archetype is probably the legendary biblical king Nimrod. The psychological and cultural importance of hunting in ancient societies is represented by the associated deities, such as the horned god Cernunnos or the Greek goddess Artemis and the Roman equivalent: Diana. Many taboos were related to hunting; the mythological association of a certain prey with a deity could be reflected in hunting restrictions such as, for example, a ban on hunting in the vicinity of a temple. For example, the story of Artemis and Actaeon, narrated by Euripides, can be interpreted as a warning to contempt for prey and pride. Hunting is still vital in many societies, especially those not suited to the practice of agriculture and livestock. The Inuit of the Arctic hunt, with weapons and traps, animals for food and to produce the complicated tents (made up of dozens of pieces of leather) that can withstand the harsh temperatures. From the waterproof skins of marine mammals they produce canoes, gloves, hats and footwear. With the domestication of the dog, birds of prey and ferret various forms of hunting with the help of animals have been developed. For this purpose, specific dog breeds have been selected: hounds, point or retriever dogs.
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LHUNTING WITH DOGS
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None of the various animal species trained for hunting has ever had a comparable importance to that of dogs. After domestication, the dog lost its evolutionary independence becoming a precious aid for hunting. Modern hunting dogs are the result of millennia of genetic selection at a level that is one of a kind. Actaeon is devoured by his dogs. The use of hunting dogs dates back to the dawn of human civilization, the word hunting itself derives from the ancient Greek kynègia which in turn derives from kynos, that is dog. In the Ottoman Empire 33 or 34 of the 196 Janissary companies were Sekban, that is, keepers of the dogs. Today, dogs are used to hunt, chase or bring back game and sometimes to kill it. There are still countless types of hunting that make use of the help of the dog. In fact, the sensitive sense of smell of dogs allows hunters to track down, chase and kill prey which, otherwise, would be very difficult or dangerous to hunt.
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THE MODERN HUNT
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African elephant head, coveted big game trophy, during the period of African colonization. What was once aristocratic hunting is now a hobby, spread relatively evenly among the social classes. Hunters can be motivated by fun or by collecting trophies. Usually amateur hunters believe that spending time outdoors, in relatively wild environments, and away from the busiest trails, is an essential part of hunting.
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HUNTING IN ITALY
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In Italy, hunting has a decreasing number of hunters, in fact they went from 1.701.853 in 1980 to 791.848 in 2001, with a net decrease of 53.5%, while the average age of those who practice hunting is increasing. All this is an indication of the fact that this practice is now widespread mainly among the elderly and that it is of little interest among young people. The hunting activity is regulated by the law n. 157 of February 17, 1992, even if the regions can approve exceptions to this legislation.
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HUNTING REFERENDUM
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During the XNUMXs, three referendums were proposed, none of which reached a quorum, to tighten the rules governing hunting: June 3, 1990: tightening of hunting regulations, turnout: 43.4%, in favor: 92.2%, against: 7.8% June 3, 1990: ban on hunters' access to private funds, turnout: 42.9%, in favor: 92.3%, against: 7.7% June 15, 1997: ban on hunters' access to private funds, turnout: 30.2%, in favor: 80.9%, against: 19.1% The referendums on the prohibition of access for hunters to private funds were proposed with the intention of repealing article 842 of the civil code. According to this article, hunters can enter (armed) in private funds without the prior consent of the owner, introducing a discriminant, considered by some jurists as unconstitutional, against non-hunters citizens who would instead be punished under article 614 of the code. penalty for trespassing.
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HUNTING POLLS
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A 2001 SWG survey showed that 87% of Italians are against the hunting of small birds, while only 8% are in favor (the remaining 5% of the sample interviewed did not express themselves).
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A 2003 Abacus survey showed that 72% of Italians are in favor of the abolition of hunting, while 22% are against its abolition (the remaining 6% of the sample interviewed did not express themselves).
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A 2005 Eurisko poll showed that 74.1% of Italians are against hunting, 15.2% are in favor and 10.1% indifferent (the remaining 0.6% of the sample interviewed did not express themselves).
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