The downgrading of the protection status of the wolf officially enters Italian law with the publication in the Official Journal of the decree of the Ministry of the Environment. The provision implements the recent amendment to the European Union Habitats Directive, opening up the possibility of more flexible management of the species. However, this is not an immediate green light for hunting: law 157 of 1992 continues to guarantee rigorous protection for the wolf. But the political signal is clear and the border appears thinner than ever.
What really changes with the new decree
The decree allows the activation of regional management plans, which could include selective culling in cases deemed necessary. According to ISPRA data, the theoretical maximum ceiling at national level would be around 160 wolves, but any possible intervention would have to be scientifically evaluated and authorized on a case-by-case basis. Without a formal modification of law 157/92, the wolf still remains a protected species, and no automatic opening to hunting is foreseen.
Criticism from environmentalists and the scientific world
The main environmental associations, from LAV to WWF Italy, speak of a political and ideological choice, which ignores the opinion of the international scientific community. According to the studies cited, the wolf is responsible for just 0.6% of livestock losses, while culling does not reduce predation in the medium to long term. The organizations underline that the real problem remains the failure to systematically apply bloodless preventive measures, such as electrified fences and correct management of farms.
Regions, collection plans and risk of disputes
The new regulatory framework gives the Regions a central role, allowing them to propose withdrawal plans within defined limits. A choice which, according to the WWF, risks opening up a season of legal disputes, also because there is a lack of updated data on illegal culling already underway in some areas of the country.
Without uniform monitoring, ensuring that satisfactory conservation status is maintained becomes more complex. The wolf hunt is not open, but the path undertaken marks a delicate turning point in Italian wildlife policy. After decades of strengthened protection, the pressures of the hunting world risk ruining what has been done so far.
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