The restrictive measures on the movement of persons adopted by the Italian government to combat the Covid-19 pandemic they could have direct and indirect repercussions on wildlife management, especially on activities that require the participation in aggregate form of numerous volunteer operators (for example the counting of ungulates or galliformes). Consequently, if the restrictive rules on the mobility of individuals and their aggregation for non-professional reasons make it impossible to carry out counts involving gatherings of volunteers (for example, the censuses for the Roe deer), the undersigned Institute will evaluate the plans in the following ways.
BOARS
given the difficulty of being able to carry out reliable censuses of this species, it is recommended that the management objectives and sampling plans are defined on the basis of:
- the historical series of killing data (hunting, through all the techniques used in the area / district / company for which the activation of the sampling plan is requested in hunting for selection, and control) of the previous seasons;
- the historical series of data on the extent and distribution of the impacts caused by the species (damage to agriculture, road accidents, impacts on biodiversity).
Considering that the spring counts, not being able to provide reliable population estimates, are not necessary for the definition of selective collection plans for wild boar, from a technical point of view, their failure to implement them does not represent a limit or for the drafting of the same plans. , structured by sex and age classes, nor for their subsequent evaluation by Ispra. However, information from standardized spring counts can provide additional data on the population and we are therefore encouraged to maintain data collection on wild boars when conditions allow for a full resumption of activities.
DEER AND BOVIDS
The withdrawal plans of Cervidae and Bovidae taking into consideration the following parameters:
1. direct counts from fixed sighting points (or on transects) or alternative methods that do not involve aggregation of personnel (night counts with the aid of lighthouses, use of photo traps, "block census" counting of fecal groups, associated distance sampling infrared thermography or transepts at sunrise and sunset, see "Guidelines for the management of Ungulates: Cervidae and Bovidae", available on the ISPRA institutional website) in order to obtain the minimum certain number and the structure in terms of sex and age classes of the population being sampled;
2. percentages of implementation of the 2020/21 hunting season plan, also calculated by sex and age classes;
3. management objectives possibly defined for the specific territorial unit within the framework of previously approved programming tools (wildlife hunting plans, wildlife vocation maps, etc.).
Consequently, unlike the 2020/21 hunting season, no sampling proposals will be evaluated in the absence of real attendance data referring to the current year. The only exception is the areas that have been identified as "unsuitable" or "target density 0" by previously approved programming tools (hunting wildlife plans, wildlife vocation maps, etc.). For these areas, the assessment of withdrawal plans will take place even without attendance data referring to the current year.
GALLIFORMS
For rock partridges, black grouse, white, red and sardine partridges and gray partridges, the sustainable management of these species is based on the spring monitoring of the populations (with the method of playback or passive listening) and with the verification of reproductive success in late summer (with the help of pointing dogs); therefore in the absence of both such information for the current year, the species will not be allowed to be collected for the hunting season 2021/22. This indication is further motivated by the fact that it is a species in a precarious state of conservation in Europe and / or Italy. Consequently, unlike the hunting season 2020/21, sampling plans presented only on the basis of the counts made with the help of pointing dogs in late summer will not be allowed. Exceptions to the measures to combat Covid-19 and mobility of individuals for hunting and wildlife control activities. In relation to the possibility of proceeding with the implementation of selective killing or wildlife control interventions, it should be noted that any assessments regarding the appropriateness and legitimacy of implementing / continuing such activities in derogation of the restriction measures due to Covid-19 they do not fall within the competences of this Institute.