Wolves in Tuscany, hundreds of sheep attacked by wolves. 700 animals died in 2013 throughout the Region, Coldiretti in defense of breeders. The latest assault cost 25 animals. Tongiani: “Every month the damage is counted. It's an emergency".
The shepherds find them in the morning, torn to pieces on the mountain pastures. One, two, three, the last time there were twenty-five sheep killed in one night in two different farms. Torn apart by wolves or by “hybrids” that is abandoned dogs, crossed with wolves or just returned to the wild. The last attack took place in Lunigiana, the wolves jumped a fence in Vaina di Filattiera (in the province of Massa Carrara) and slaughtered sheep. “It is an emergency” explains the president of Coldiretti of Massa Carrara, Vincenzo Tongiani.
From the beginning of the year to today, according to Coldiretti, about a hundred animals have been killed by wolves, only on the Lunigiana side 47 sheep have been torn apart from April to today.
Last year there were 700 in all of Tuscany. “To the animals killed - explains Tongiani - are added the damage induced by the fright and the state of stress caused by the assaults, with reduced milk production and abortions in the surviving animals. An immeasurable damage for the entire sector ". To tackle the problem, the Tuscany Region recently announced the release of the call for compensation for farmers. A few numbers are enough to understand the extent of the problem: As agreed, I send you the statistical part of the damages compensated for wolf damage in Tuscany. 2012 € 75.000. 2013 € 128.000.
di Laura Montanari
Firenze.Repubblica.it
16.10.2014