Without prejudice to the extraordinary provisions valid in the ASF contagion areas for wild boar, priority sampling is generally established by sex and age classes in order to numerically reduce the classes of females and young specimens, which makes it possible to limit the reproductive systems of certain problematic species, reducing their presence. The Plan contains a non-exhaustive list of the most effective tools for this purpose (nets, cages, traps, shotguns with smooth or rifled barrels, sighting optics including thermal imaging, infrared or light intensifiers, with laser rangefinder, thermal imaging cameras telenarcosis, euthanasia induction chamber, etc.).
Containment in protected areas
As is known, the Plan can also be applied in protected areas, but only with the prior involvement of the protected area management body, which will deal with the related preparation of control plans. In fact, the Plan highlights the need to define the relationship between the framework law governing hunting (law n. 157 of the 1992) and that relating to protected areas (law n.394/1991).
The role of the Regions
The Regional Plans for Urgent Interventions, this is their new name, will have to be updated by 28 December 2023. As requested by the State-Regions Conference, the role of the regions becomes more defined, with a detailed list of requirements to be met. The Plans must include clear and objective objectives, aimed at planning the interventions in a more targeted way, better defining the timing and critically evaluating the degree of effectiveness of the management planning adopted. Every year the regions send ISPRA a report on the results achieved within the plans implemented in the ATC, CA, in the wildlife institutes in order to understand the progress of the management strategies.
The alternative methods
The law provides that the regional plans integrate preventive interventions. The plan stipulates that these are effective provided that they are correctly installed and used and that constant maintenance is carried out. They will mostly be chosen in contexts in which it is not possible to achieve an effective and consistent reduction of the critical species, due to lack of personnel or failure to share the objectives for reducing attendances.
The involvement of hunters
Among the operators authorized to control there will also be hunters who must have attended specific training courses compliant with programs prepared by ISPRA, regardless of the territorial area or the Alpine district in which they are registered as well as the form of hunting chosen by them, and having passed a qualifying test. This in order to guarantee selective and as efficient interventions as possible. The other authorized operators: provincial and local police personnel, hunting rangers, forest corps, private companies, specialized firms or professional operators, professional cooperatives, owners and managers of funds (authorised), veterinarians working in public health, authorized and have a hunting license.
Boar
Two premises: the extraordinary control plan, as mentioned, must be implemented by the Regions concerned in line with the management strategy of the PSA and the containment of the presence of wild boars should be primarily pursued through hunting. However, given the objective of a strong reduction in presences shared within the context of the PRIU, the Abatement Plans, if not completed, can be terminated through the Regional Control Plan also, where necessary, through the use of all the figures envisaged .
Wolf
The document refers to the new data provided by ISPRA (2022) who attest to an improvement in the conservation status of the wolf, highlighting that it would make it possible to overcome the total ban on derogations from the removal of wolves contained in the 2002 action plan. "Eventual removal of wolf individuals - we read - will be authorized by following the authorization procedure established by the decree of the President of the Republic n. 357 of 1997, in full compliance with the Habitats directive”.
Hunters shouldn't collaborate with anyone anymore... then we delegate for the containment of wild boars
….. Vittorio Feltri….