Wild boar selection hunting sul Baldo and in Lessinia: experimentation confirmed, also for this season. Thus the councilor for agriculture and hunting of Veneto, Giuseppe Pan, frames the extension of the experimental hunting regime for the management of wild boars in the Verona area, just approved by the regional council. For ten years wild boar hunting has been authorized in Lessinia and has allowed the collection of 5.479 specimens, of which 1.220 only in the last hunting season 2019-2020, on an estimated population of about 7 thousand specimens. Last year the experimental regime was extended for the first time also to the Baldo area, in order to counteract the proliferation of suidae and, at the same time, to safeguard the particular naturalistic value of the area: the balance is of 308 animals killed on a total population estimated in the order of 1500-2500 specimens on the entire massif.
"Encouraging results, but still insufficient”, Comments Pan, who led to the examination and approval of the Ispra and the Venetian council the 'bis' on the sampling plan for the selection of wild boar in the dual area of Lessinia and Baldo. In fact, last year there was a sharp surge in damage suffered by agricultural businesses and inhabitants (the claims for compensation for Lessinia exceeded 143 thousand euros, on the Baldo perhaps the owners are not yet familiar with the compensation practices), with significant damage to pastures and turf in the winter and spring months, and in the following months to cherry plantations and orchards in general.
"L 'Ispra, the Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research of the Ministry of the Environment - reports Pan - shared the regional objectives of limiting the presence of wild boars, due to the strong impact caused to the agricultural activities of the territory. Ispra also reported the high risk of introduction of the African swine fever virus into our country by wild boars, inviting accurate counting and monitoring, including spatial activities, of wild boars and gave specific indications to the Region and to the Wildlife Hunting Unit of the Prealpine and Alpine area to report to the competent authorities any killed animal or carcass found ". The plan for the selection of wild boar in Lessinia has authorized for this year the withdrawal from stalking up to 450 animals until March 31, 2021. It will also be possible to use the 'endorsement' technique, starting from November 1st until January 31st 2021, with no numerical limit of items.
The number of garments and the schedule for the Baldo area are similar: 450 specimens with the collection in selection (from stalking). Also in this area will be authorized the technique of the 'turn' with which it is estimated a collection of catches included between 200 and 250 specimens, given the particular hunting method, less invasive for the animal species present in the affected area. "I hope that the renewed experimental regime, together with the continuation of the regional control plan for wild boars - concludes Councilor Pan - will achieve the desired results, in order to bring the density index of this population within two specimens per 100 hectares. I therefore appeal to the synergistic action between hunting and the activities of the operators qualified for the control plan in the remaining period of the year, because only in this way can the containment strategy be effective for the protection of agricultural crops, tourist use and for the safety of citizens ".