In the Stelvio National Park, one of the symbolic places of Italian conservation, the deer culling activity has restarted, a measure presented as necessary to rebalance the ecosystem but which continues to raise many doubts. Since 2023, the Province of Trento has applied the deer conservation and management plan, with the declared objective of reducing a population considered excessive.
The area involved includes the Peio and Rabbi valleys, where a very high presence of animals had been detected in recent years. However, the choice to intervene with weapons in a protected area raises questions about its coherence with the park’s mission itself.
In the last two years, 332 deer have been eliminated and for the current season the quota is set at 237 heads, already reduced compared to the 400 expected. The review, requested even by hunters, shows that the plan may not be based on as solid assessments as claimed. If it is possible to lower the quotas without compromising the objectives, it is inevitable to ask how realistic the initial estimates were and how much we are proceeding by trial and error.
Real or overestimated problems?
The authorities, despite this, continue to underestimate the controversies, fueled by petitions and environmentalist positions. The technical reasons speak of excessive consumption of shoots by ungulates which would hinder the growth of tree species such as spruce, with repercussions on the capercaillie’s habitat.
Other species, such as chamois and roe deer, would also be penalized by the competition for resources. And again the impacts on agricultural activities: in spring, deer feed on mown meadows, causing fodder losses of up to 30%.
However, some independent experts have disputed that the imbalances are due solely to the deer species: climate change, forest management, tourist pressure and habitat fragmentation have at least as much impact as ungulates. Reducing ecological complexity to a problem of “too many deer” risks oversimplifying a much more complex context.
The crux of meat marketing
Another critical point concerns the sale of meat from slaughter. The proceeds – over 56 thousand euros – are often presented as a success, but the operation involves significant costs for carcass treatments (around 100 euros per animal) and reimbursements to hunters.
Added to this is the presence of renowned restaurants among buyers, which suggests a disturbing mix between wildlife control and economic opportunities. In a national park, animal culling should be an exceptional measure, not a commercial resource.
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