"It's not hunting that's increasing wild boar numbers, but an ecological imbalance that must be managed methodically and responsibly." This is Marco Efisio Pisanu, president of the Sardinian Hunting, Fishing and Traditions association, responding to Briguglio, who has pointed the finger at hunting, which is guilty of encouraging the proliferation of wild boars on the island .
Pisanu reverses the perspective, referring to official data and management plans approved by the competent authorities . "In Sardinia, as in the rest of Italy," he explains, "monitoring and culling plans developed by wildlife experts and approved by ISPRA and the Region are in place. Their goal is to reduce population density and mitigate conflicts with agriculture and road safety."
According to the association, hunting contributes significantly to containing the species' numbers: "Every year, approximately 40,000 wild boars are harvested, and this figure, by contrast, demonstrates that hunting is a management tool, not a cause of the problem."
The president then launches a direct challenge: "If Dr. Briguglio calls himself an expert, please show us, with scientific sources, a more effective alternative method to reduce the density of such an impactful population."
He then cites ISPRA data to support his position: "Where selective management is practiced, populations are declining or stabilizing. If it were true that hunting increases ungulates, we should also observe the same for red deer, fallow deer, and mouflon, species not hunted freely yet steadily increasing throughout the island."
Furthermore, he doesn't hide his disappointment at the tone used on the subject. "Expressions like 'simple minds' or 'nice solutions for weak minds' are offensive and inappropriate. Hunters, often the very clients of those who write such phrases, dedicate time and resources to managing the land with commitment and civic duty."
Finally, Pisanu invites us to overcome prejudices and consider the complexity of the problem : «The wild boar issue requires integrated solutions – he adds –: prevention of damage, control of food sources, fencing, captures and, where necessary, planned culling. Reducing everything to an 'anti-hunting' prejudice means trivializing reality».
And he concludes with a call for pragmatism: "We need research, balance, and responsibility. Wildlife management, if conducted on a scientific basis, is part of the solution, not the problem."
(Unioneonline/Fr.Me.)
