An intense work session full of stimuli, ideas and insights that took place in Lamezia Terme (CZ) at the end of February, the members of the Regional Council of the Calabrian Federcaccia, to discuss the pilot project developed by the same on the management of the wild boar species. The organization and realization of the study day was helped by theNational Federcaccia Studies and Research Office with his technicians and to seal the importance of the theme and the attention to the proposals developed by Calabria, the national President Massimo Buconi also wanted to be present for the occasion by taking part in the works.
The meeting was only the last step in chronological order of a path started by Federcaccia Calabria with an assumption of responsibility which, in full harmony with its role as a hunting association, has led it to tackle the “wild boar theme” starting from its most evident aspect, namely the damage and sustainability of the species for agricultural activities. Alongside this, in the awareness of the management role covered by the hunting practice, the desire to provide an important service to the entire Calabrian community also to deal with the health emergency posed by the PSA and other pathologies of wildlife and in the mitigation of the alterations and problems that an excessive proliferation of a species poses to the entire biodiversity .
Thus was born the "wild boar project" of Federcaccia Calabria, with the aim of creating a wild management plan that relying on planning, now lacking; through a differentiated classification of the territory based on the risk of damage to crops, with associated differentiated management measures; on the analysis of objective and dynamic population data integrated in a database, help to define a series of organic interventions over the medium to long term affecting the entire regional surface, including protected areas. A new and more complete approach that plans a modern hunting activity, with the concept of sustainability and safeguarding biodiversity at the center and overcoming the idea of a problematic species.
Presenting the project in front of an attentive and participatory room was the President of Federcaccia Calabria and National Vice President Giuseppe Giordano, preceding the interventions of the members of the Studies and Research Office. Dr. Giorgia Romeo outlined the situation of the African swine fever epidemic, explaining problems and prevention measures, as well as illustrating the use of the Limiere Dog in hunting and control actions and of the Track Dog for the recovery of injured and early detection of dead Psa wild boar carcasses. Valter Trocchi followed her by talking about the damage caused by wildlife and in particular by wild boar and the related compensation regulations. Doctor Michele Sorrenti, technical manager of the office and doctor Daniel Tramontana, wildlife technician, were also present and taking part in the works. After a short break, the work resumed with the examination of the current Wild boar hunting regulations and of the drafting of the Regulation on Fauna damage of the Calabria Region, which led to a series of assessments and proposals by the working group, which will be advanced in the institutional offices.
“The Plan is available to the Institutions with whom we want to discuss in order to follow up on further developments, as well as with other hunting and agricultural associations "declared President Giordano, who then continued:" The wild boar wildlife management it must be prudent, modern with constant monitoring and not dealing with it only in the period of hunting activity or only when the damage to agriculture touches the most extreme points.
This plan, which we also thought of as a pilot project for the other regions, goes in this direction, with a method of approach and work that places hunting at the center, the safeguarding of agricultural production - which unfortunately see Calabria decimated by enormous damage for other with extreme peaks in some very specific areas of the region - the safeguarding of habitats for other species of wild fauna and the protection of biodiversity, with a continuous and punctual work of monitoring and research. The collection of this species must be seen as a resource and not as a problem - concluded Giordano - and the world of hunting and hunters have the opportunity to be authentic positive protagonists of its wildlife-hunting management ".