The position taken by CIA Abruzzo
The presence of wild boars in Abruzzo continues to represent a risk factor for man and agricultural crops. In the period 2015-2021 in Italy there are one and a half million specimens of wild boar and the killings were around 300.000 per year (of which 257.000 in ordinary hunting and 42.000 in wildlife control interventions). Huge damage to agriculture and Abruzzo is among the most affected regions for a total of around 18 million euros in the period considered.
An emergency not to be underestimated
These are the numbers that emerged on 13 January in Viterbo on the occasion of the conference on "Wildlife and territories: knowing to manage", organized by Confagricoltura in collaboration with the Game Producers Organization (EPS). “We need an urgent intervention strategy on a national scale”, commented Nicola Sichetti, President of Cia Abruzzo, “We have repeatedly urged the Region to resolve the problem of damage without any response. We are deeply concerned: in 2022, with the drought, the situation worsened and many companies are collapsing. As a Confederation we cannot helplessly witness such an emergency and for this reason our offices have carefully analyzed all the documents relating to the management of wild boars to understand what are the critical issues that have led to this state of affairs ".
The main criticalities
The CIA underlines how the new regional hunting plan approved in 2020, after 25 years, precisely identifies the areas where the presence of the wild boar is not compatible with human activities and on these in particular urgent measures must be taken. In the Province of Chieti, for example, in 2021, the damage caused to agricultural crops by wild boar amounted to € 1.252.240,00, in 2014, before the entry into force of the regional regulation on ungulates, the damage amounted to € 400.000,00 ( control plan data of the Abruzzo region). "It is clear that something is not working", continues Sichetti, "The Cia Abruzzo has already identified the main criticalities and if no immediate change is made to the regional laws and regulations that regulate hunting and compensation for damages , let's not exclude street demonstrations by calling together the entire agricultural world” (source: CIA).