Poaching: San Rossore, two poachers were surprised by the surveillance of the Park to hunt aquatic with a small boat on the lake of Massaciuccoli; the two try to escape but nearly drown
Anti-poaching operation in the past few hours on Lake Massaciuccolii, in the Migliarino San Rossore Massaciuccoli Regional Park. The blitz led to the denunciation of two fifties - PC and PA (these are their initials) - residing in the Municipality of Viareggio. During the normal control service that at this time of the year the park guards carry out on Lake Massaciuccoli to safeguard the spring pass of migratory birds, around 4 am, on the Ditch of the Winds, the surveillance of the Park Authority found the presence of a nautical vehicle from which hunting activity was in progress with the use of hearing aids for calling birds.
After intercepting a small boat equipped with an internal combustion engine, near the ditch of the Fifteen the park rangers ordered the drivers of the vehicle to halt, who instead of stopping started a real chase with risky maneuvers, which finally led to the small boat to capsize and the two occupants to end up in the water. The drowning of the poachers was averted thanks to the intervention of the park guards, who rescued them on their vehicle.
The boat used, whose engine, of 40 horsepower, had been altered to improve its performance, was recovered and impounded. A patrol of the Carabinieri of the Viareggio Command also intervened on the spot, who collaborate with the surveillance service of the Authority especially with regard to the illegal possession and use of weapons, and who have detected irregularities in the possession of weapons by of the two, irregularities that are still subject to investigation.
The Presidency and the Management of the Park Authority, in congratulating the surveillance service for the operation, express their regret for the incident: throughout the region, at this time of the year, all hunting activities are suspended and poaching is even more serious because it is carried out within a protected area of great naturalistic value, which includes the lake and the marsh of Massaciuccoli. Precisely because of its importance in terms of biodiversity - the Massaciuccoli, as well as much of the northern part of the Migliarino San Rossore Massaciuccoli Regional Park, is a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention - the attention of the Authority towards Illicit activities carried out on the lake remain high and operations of this kind are and will continue to be a priority.
Among the most important objectives in terms of protection and conservation, the intention of the Park to make the osprey nest in the Massaciuccoli area. At the same time, the Park Authority intends to express on this occasion, as already done in the past, its intention to dialogue with the "good" part of the hunting world that is not recognized in episodes of this kind and which is, on the contrary , interested in cooperating with the Park to counter them.
(March 19, 2015)
Source: LaNazione - Pisa