Pheasant hunting: Ambiente Network promotes and organizes a summer monitoring on the Pheasant species Phasianus colchicus in the Province of Rome within the ATCRM1 and ATCRM2 areas.
The contact person for the project is Stefano De Vita, ornithologist, expert in wildlife management and wildlife breeding, ENCI Judge, Educator and Dog Trainer recognized by ENCI and the Lazio Region. Surveying wild animals in their natural environment is of primary importance for the conservation of the species, but also for planning a correct hunting collection. We believe that in addition to an incorrect practice of the methods and times of placing the game and in this case of the pheasant, there is also an incorrect hunting management of the species, both in the time frame of the sampling and in the sampling referred to the sex classes.
The hunting activity today can no longer be exercised without a deep naturalistic knowledge of the hunter, just as it cannot be exercised without the taking of any species not included in a general concept of conservation and protection. Sampling feasible only on the basis of precise cognitive elements of the status and dynamics of populations, not only at the local level but more generally at the global level of the population itself. Hunting is allowed where the concepts of safeguarding, maintaining, redeveloping and improving natural environments persist and interact, in synergy with precise studies and scientific research which will then be the basis for determining precise abatement plans, which will only affect the surplus of the affected animal population. Nature offers renewable resources and these resources are the fruits to be harvested without ever damaging the tree. Hunting cannot exist without the synergy of the scientific world.
Area affected by the census: Some sample areas falling within the territories of the ATC Territorial Areas Caccia of RM1 and RM2. The areas will be identified in the areas where the RM1 and RM2 ATCs have carried out the operations of immissions for restocking of pheasants. Applied methodology: the method of execution of the summer census is carried out with the use of perfectly trained pointing and hunting dogs, aged no less than 2 years, all the subjects used are perfectly educated and trained, as well as responding to the morphological characteristics and breed aptitudes.
Both the pointing breeds (Foreign Continentals, Italian and English Continentals) and the hunting breeds (Spaniels) to cover the most suitable territories and responsive to the work of the specific breeds: Pointing dog - large stubble and pasture and natural meadow mixed with hedges, spots, rows of trees , etc .; Search dog large ditches and gullies, large wooded areas, large intricate patches, etc.
Prerogative will be given to daytime hours starting from dawn, the most suitable hours given the presence of humidity on the ground as they are better conditions for the dog's sense of smell and therefore greater probability for the search and discovery of game.
Verification of the presence of the pheasant: each operator must memorize the point with a GPS system and in any case fill in a survey form where the dog operator must record a series of data. The whole project followed a methodology already indicated by the former INFS ISPRA on wildlife monitoring with the use of dogs.
The project received a positive opinion from ISPRA who specified precisely that: "considering the scarce information on the distribution of the species in the territory of the Province of Rome and the available knowledge on the results of the repopulation interventions of the species (which in most cases show low survival values of the individuals introduced), it is believes that the proposed work program can make a significant contribution to orienting the management of wildlife in the ATCs in question ”. ISPRA has also specified that it is awaiting the results obtained that will arise from the processing of the data.
Dr. Linda Sartini and Dr. Cristiano Papeschi, graduates in veterinary medicine, will also collaborate in this project for parasitological monitoring of any fecal samples collected as part of the initiative. In fact, the dog operators will search within the limits of the possibilities and if pheasant feces are found, these will be placed individually in small plastic or cuki-type bags, also in this case report the coordinates with the GPS system of the finding. Any data from parasitological examinations will also be related to the density data of the pheasants present for the individual areas. We believe that the dog-loving aspect is of primary importance, which is then the fundamental one for the final achievement of the set objectives, that is, a fair and balanced approach with the dog and a correct use of the same aimed at a correct wildlife management of the species of interest.
Purpose of the summer monitoring: establish whether the injections made in the summer of 2014 resulted in the persistence of pheasants on the territory of ATCRM1 and ATCRM2. The monitoring of the pheasant within the ATCRM1 and ATCRM2 will be carried out in compliance with the provisions of the regulations in force.
09.08.2014