Damage of 30 million euros caused by wild animals. Urgent intervention required
Coldiretti Puglia once again raises the alarm over the continuous raids of wild boars plaguing the region, with damage estimated at over 30 million euros. The latest worrying episode occurred in the countryside of Altamura, near the Alta Murgia National Park, where a herd of wild boars caused extensive damage.
The agricultural association reports not only the destruction of crops, but also attacks on people and domestic animals, with serious consequences on biodiversity and public safety. Among the problematic species cited there are also wolves, feral dogs, starlings, hares, cormorants, green parrots and the blue crab, the latter known for damaging molluscs such as clams and mussels.
Coldiretti Puglia, through its president Alfonso Cavallo, has urgently requested the implementation of an extraordinary regional plan that allows farmers to effectively defend their lands. The plan should include effective regulatory tools to manage the situation and reduce the risk associated with African swine fever, a disease also mentioned by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which has called for extraordinary measures to control the wild boar population.
Furthermore, Coldiretti highlights the bureaucratic difficulties and insurance restrictions that discourage farmers from reporting accidents caused by these animals, further worsening the situation.
The crisis caused by wild boars extends to urban centres, with frequent incursions into cities that put citizens’ safety at risk and cause road accidents. The massive presence of these animals, estimated at around 250 thousand specimens in Puglia alone, represents a constant threat to agriculture, safety and the balance of local ecosystems.
