The report to the Chamber
“The wolf between fantasies and reality”. Between professions of almost sanctity and alarmism that paint it as absolute evil, the wolf is one of the wild animals most "talked about" by real and self-styled experts, technicians, environmentalists, hunters, breeders and ordinary people. We talked about facts and not fantasies today, guests within the authoritative walls of the Chamber of Deputies thanks to an initiative by the Hon. Francesco Bruzzone, member of the XIII Commission (Agriculture) of the Chamber and head of the Department of the League for the management of wild fauna, who invited Federcaccia and the Coordination of the FIdC Huntresses which is the author of it to present the Report on the impact of the predator on hunting, domestic and guardian dogs. A phenomenon which, in addition to forests and rural environments, has seen a constant increase in its manifestations also in urban contexts, such as courtyards and streets of towns or cities, also raising the social alarm and concern of citizens.
Dog predation
The initiative of the Federcaccia Hunting Coordination with the support of Federcaccia Nazionale in collaboration with the Federation's Studies and Research Office to collect and catalog proven episodes regarding attacks and predation of dogs by wolves is not and does not intend to replace the work scientific expertise of technicians and researchers, but is characterized by the utmost rigor and seriousness, separating facts from chatter with the precise intention of distancing itself from those who, for various and different interests, tend on the one hand to reduce or on the other to exaggerate the effects of the presence of the wolf. At the time of its closure in the printing shop on August 31, 2023, approximately 400 predations had been recorded, all carefully verified, only a part of those that occurred and for various reasons were not reported or could not be attributed with certainty and therefore discarded. Since then the Coordination's work has not stopped and the working group continues to collect and record predations that occur with ever greater frequency. A phenomenon that cannot be ignored due to society's demand for safety, but also and above all because its management represents a crucial element to guarantee a peaceful and balanced coexistence between man and wolf.
The example of other nations
“It is necessary for the institutions and politics to fulfill their role and take note of what is happening” declared the national president of Federcaccia Massimo Buconi. “Europe is doing it, where President Ursula von der Leyen declared that 'The return of wolves is good news for biodiversity in Europe. But the concentration of wolf packs in some European regions has become a real danger' and the European Commission proposes to make the wolf 'protected' rather than 'strictly protected'. Many European states and neighboring Switzerland are doing it. And we are pleased that Italian politics is responding to our stimulus in this sense today." “The wolf, I repeat again to avoid any exploitation which every time the issue of its management is addressed, like that of other carnivores or any species, is immediately promptly implemented, it is not a huntable species and in all sincerity, hunters are not interested in whether it becomes so. The State has adequate men and professional resources to address the issue if it wishes. But as citizens who experience rurality and support the activities linked to it, we are interested in ensuring that the management of the wolf and the conflicts that its presence generates are addressed by the institutions" concluded Buconi.
A detailed photograph
“As underlined by the President – added Isabella Villa, head of Hunting Coordination – our Report aims to provide a detailed snapshot of what is happening, with the predation of hunting dogs, but not only. Cases of dogs being preyed upon while out walking, on a leash, with their owners are not isolated. However, an incomplete photograph because too many people still prefer not to report, even if in this sense we are noticing a certain change in mentality. An increasingly widespread state of alarm is emerging, where mayors are inviting people not to go out at night to avoid unwanted encounters. A clear limit to citizens' freedom as well as proof that the risk exists and that we are aware of it. Suffice it to say that from 31 August, the date the report was closed in the printing press, to date over 150 attacks on dogs have been recorded, a figure which is however underestimated despite a greater sensitivity to reporting. I therefore thank the hon. Bruzzone for his sensitivity on the topic". Dr. Giorgia Romeo, an expert in wildlife eco-ethology with many years of experience in numerous wolf-related projects, illustrated the overall picture of the "wolf phenomenon" in Italy, based on the most recent data available to the national scientific community. “Current knowledge – declared the scholar – allows us to compose a fairly precise picture of the presence and distribution of the wolf in Italy. The conservation actions undertaken over the years have favored the natural and gradual expansion of the species. A phenomenon that today also affects peri-urban areas with possible interactions that require careful and considered management".
A rapidly increasing presence
“I am pleased – declared the Honorable Bruzzone – to have organized this presentation, which I consider to be of great importance for raising awareness among parliamentary colleagues and the institutions in general on this issue. There is a strong increase in the presence of wolves in the country. Politics must provide an answer. I know it's not easy, but I think it's necessary. Also because, let's remember, wildlife is the property of the State, these animals are the property of the State, and therefore the State cannot back down, it cannot turn the other way and pretend nothing happened. The appeal I make to politics and science is to ensure that the State responds. Let's be clear: no wolf hunting, but sensitivity towards pets and pets that deserve greater protection." At the end of the speeches, the Undersecretary for agricultural, food and forestry policies, Senator Patrizio La Pietra, spoke: “For too long, real wildlife management has been lacking in Italy. And without management there can be no sustainability. Today we talk about wolves, but management has been lacking with wild boars, corvids, nutrias, cormorants... leading to an explosion of out-of-balance situations. Fortunately, politics is becoming aware of this, even if we are faced with very strong animal rights resistance.
Ideological prejudices
As regards the wolf, we are working on a new 'wolf plan'. It probably won't be a 100% solver but compared to the old plan it makes important progress. Parameters and lines of action need to be reviewed. We must sit down, eliminate unnecessary ideological prejudices and activate wildlife management that is essential for the well-being of the entire wildlife heritage of the country." Piero Genovesi from Ispra also expressed his appreciation for the work carried out by the Coordination: "We are following this topic carefully and we thank Federcaccia and the Coordination who have collected data that is precious to us. Italy is the country with the most wolves in Europe, and this increases conflicts and possible interactions with humans and domestic animals. Predation not only triggers an economic aspect but also an emotional aspect that cannot be ignored. We are in a dynamic phase and the increase in conflicts must open up forms of management." Present in the room were, among others, senators Simone Bossi and Paolo Ripamonti; the President of the Una Foundation Maurizio Zipponi; Niccolò Sacchetti from Coldiretti and Luca Brondelli from Confagricoltura; Dr. Paola Aragno from Ispra as well as representatives of the specialized and general press, joined by numerous spectators who were able to follow the proceedings online (Press office of the Italian Hunting Federation - Federcaccia Hunting Coordination).