It is a practice that is discussed all over the world
Fox, wolf, raccoon… Some animals are considered pests due to the damage they cause, be it economic, ecological or health. All over the world, authorities regulate their populations through extermination campaigns. A controversial experience.
Wild boars have long been a symbol of wildlife. They are now considered an unwanted species that damage crops, cause road accidents and are increasingly invading cities and suburbs.
It is especially unpleasant in Italy, where the number of these four-legged animals is no less than 2.3 million. Expression videos showing them traveling to cities across the country in search of food have been on the rise in recent years. These city walks once amused the city dwellers, but now they are increasingly infuriating them. Many Italians complain that feral pigs are almost invasive throughout the country, including in Rome.
Faced with the scale of this phenomenon, Giorgia Meloni’s government approved an amendment at the end of December that allows the slaughter of these mammals for public safety purposes, even in protected areas and in the city. According to the Italian newspaper, local and regional police officers, as well as national forest police and licensed private hunters will be able to participate in these campaigns. La Stampa. The controversial measure also allows the consumption and sale of wild boar meat that has been slaughtered after analysis by health authorities.
It’s enough to make animal rights groups jump. They fear that this amendment, carried out by the far-right Fratelli d’Italia party of the Italian prime minister “Indiscriminate killing of wild animals”, to use the words of the Italian International Organization for the Protection of Animals (OIPA). The leader of the Green Party in Italy, Angelo Bonelli, announced that he intends to appeal to the Italian parliament to oppose this measure, which would violate the country’s constitution and European nature protection regulations. “This measure will allow the slaughter of EU-protected species, not only wild boars, but also bears, wolves, foxes”he said La Stampaadded that a “a gift to the hunting lobby”.
Controversies around the wolf
In Switzerland, it’s not the boars that cause the problem, but the wolves. These predators, which reappeared three decades ago in the regions of the Swiss Confederation, are multiplying exponentially, with an annual increase of 25-30%, according to the figures of the Swiss Wolf Group. Thus, in 2021, more than 250 wolf packs lived in the Alps. Coexistence with humans is not always easy, especially for breeders who must protect their herds from predation by these large monsters.
With this in mind, the Swiss parliament in December adopted a proposal to actively regulate the wolf population by relaxing the conditions for slaughtering the animal. This draft proposes to allow the cancellation of packages or parts of packages “prevention of significant harm or specific danger”. In other words, cantons will be able to shoot wolves that approach populated areas or where herd protection measures are ineffective. A “wise measure”, as stated in the official report of the Federal Council. And to add: “This will make it possible to shoot wolves that have lost their natural fear and are increasingly entering urban areas and posing a risk to humans.”.
Many conservation organizations disagree and have criticized the Swiss Federal Council’s proposal, pointing fingers at the ineffectiveness of preventive wolf regulation. “As studies in both Europe and the United States have shown, we’re going back to this preventative rule that doesn’t always work. We shouldn’t make the worm a saint, but we shouldn’t base our decisions on emotions alone. With this project, we are selling breeders a dream, but the results will not match what they hoped for. It’s like throwing a small bucket of water on a forest fire.”explained Isabelle Germanier, spokeswoman for Groupe Loup Suisse, on a daily basis. ArcInfo. Wolf advocates are calling for a potential referendum on the issue before the end of February, when the consultation process on the bill ends.
Fighter drones in Japan
In Japan, local authorities have no legal recourse to combat the spread of so-called “vermin” animals in the Empire of the Rising Sun. They are based on new technologies. The municipality of Fukuchiyama near Kyoto bought drones to destroy the game. Manufactured by Aero Japan, these robots are equipped with loudspeakers to emit the barking sounds of hunting dogs. Their use made it possible to catch about 100 deer and wild boars in two years. Japan Times. It is enough to force other Japanese municipalities to order these high-tech devices at a price of 1.5 million yen (about 10,000 euros).
In other parts of the country, hunters rely on the wolf scarecrow (“Wolf Wolf”) to keep bears away. This robot has everything to scare away wild animals with its flashing red eyes and a built-in speaker that emits grunts, barks and gunshots. It is mounted on a cart to be able to patrol independently in certain areas.
While compensating for the aging local hunters, these gems of technology help combat the overpopulation of wild animals in Japan. Indeed, there are 200,000 licensees today, up from 518,000 in 1975. Japan Times. Most of them are above 60 years of age, which means that they will retire soon. Succession with drone hunters and werewolf scarecrows, much to the displeasure of Japanese beasts.
(ETX Daily)
