The authorization comes from the Region (Proponent Structure Wildlife, Hunting and Hunting Surveillance Sector. Competent Department Deputy Directorate-General for Agriculture, Natural Resources, Protected and Inland Areas). "Subject: sampling interventions for the purpose of wildlife control of specimens of Cervus sp. in the Atc GE 2, in Val Graveglia". The language is the bureaucratic one of public bodies: "Following monitoring carried out with the use of camera traps, the presence of some specimens of deer with phenotypic characteristics such as to suggest the existence of hybridization phenomena with the alien species Cervus Nippon (commonly called sika deer), native to East Asia ".
The Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (Ispra), having examined the document, sharing the observations relating to the phenotypic characteristics found, recalls that "the management option to adopt in the presence of sika deer or hybrids with this species is their immediate removal, as they constitute a threat to the genetic identity of Cervus elaphus ", suggesting to the Area and the competent regional office" to take action in order to ascertain the effective presence of hybrid forms and, if necessary, adopt direct control measures for the eradication of this nucleus ".
The document announces: "The intention to plan a training event aimed at collaborators already involved in monitoring activities on the characteristics of the sika deer and on conservation and management problems". Thus we arrive at asking “al Wildlife, Hunting and Hunting Surveillance Sector the authorization for the killing of two specimens of Cervus nippon or introgresses with it, in the form of direct control to be carried out in the period 1 January - 15 March 2022 with the coordination of the regional wildlife-environmental surveillance unit, assisted by specially trained selection hunters, by shooting with a rifle equipped with precision optics ". Objective: “the maintenance in a satisfactory state of conservation of the Special Conservation Area which may be partially affected by the intervention (ZSC IT1331909“ Monte Zatta - Passo del Bocco - Passo Chiapparino - Monte Bossea ”).
The document indicates the names of the four “expert selection hunters, already trained to carry out wildlife control actions, who participated in the training event held on the basis of didactic material previously verified and approved by Ispra's technical staff. The note continues: "Considering the priority need to safeguard wildlife from the presence of alien entities, in accordance with the provisions of the aforementioned article 2, paragraph 2 of law n. 157/1992, for which the management of alien species is aimed at eradication and in any case at control, and must be implemented in accordance with the provisions of article 19 of the same law; considered for the above to approve the killing of two specimens of Cervus nippon or introgresses with it in the agro-forestry-pastoral territory of the municipality of Ne, to be carried out by 15 March 2022 "(Levante News).