The former Minister of Tourism Michele Vittoria Brambilla is opposed tokilling of wild boars: "It can even be counterproductive." And he dictates the way to reduce the presence of ungulates among people to a minimum: "We must remove the waste from the streets."
Selective culls of wild boars are announced from the Lazio Region. Michela Vittoria Brambilla she has always defended them. Now?
"Also. African swine fever is a serious problem, but this is not the way to go. I would like to see the same dynamism in removing waste from the streets: as a former Minister of Tourism, it hurts my heart to see the capital reduced in this way ».
But after "patient zero", two more suspected cases. The alarm is growing in Rome. Mistaken?
«The carcass is still being investigated. It's a little bit strange".
Why?
"Because the epidemic is far away: 69 cases in Piedmont and 45 in Liguria. The southern limit is 400 kilometers from there. They are, rightly, making checks. Usually the wild boars of the Insugherata, Pineto and Monte Mario parks die at the hands of poachers, from road accidents or from ingesting plastic. But in any case the Romans can rest assured ».
Do not worry?
«African swine fever is not transmissible to humans. Nor to dogs, cats or other animals not belonging to one of the sixteen species of which pigs are part ".
But also the Undersecretary of Health, Andrea Costa, has called for abatements
«I'm just saying that swine fever is becoming the alibi for extermination. Ispra explained that the virus, unknowingly introduced by man, does not depend on the density of wild boars. It can circulate for years even at very low densities ».
And so?
«To slow down the spread of the PSA, 90% of wild boars should be removed in a very short time: a clearly“ unrealistic ”goal, Ispra recalls. So the advice is the opposite: leave the wild boars alone ».
In peace?
«It is necessary to avoid contacts and activities that could cause the dispersal of animals on the territory and with it the possible spread of the virus: both by increasing the mobility of any infected, and by the contamination of clothing, shoes, materials and vehicles. The persecution must stop ».
There are those who think that the persecuted are the Romans
“If the wild boars multiply it is not their fault. To do favors for hunters, who bring votes, insane repopulations have been made by taking wild boars from the East: bigger and more prolific. Now we want to go to the slaughter. But unhinging the structure of the herds induces the females to reproduce twice a year with numerous offspring. The opposite effect is obtained ”.
What do you suggest?
“Prohibition for hunters to feed them. Fertility control (we put 500 thousand euros in financial statements for a contraceptive). And solve the waste problem ».
Fence the bins as Zingaretti wants?
"It is not enough. It is necessary to clean and seal them, starting an extraordinary take-away action to prevent them from ending up on the road. Virginia Raggi was incapable, the new mayor Gualteri gets busy to put an end to this shame "(Corriere della Sera).