We are shocked and outraged to learn of the events in the Abruzzo, Lazio, and Molise National Park, where ten dead wolves were found in two separate incidents between Alfedena and Pescasseroli in just a few days, with evidence suggesting the use of poisoned bait.
To all the Park staff, committed daily to protecting one of the most important contexts for the conservation of biodiversity in our country, we express our full solidarity and sympathy in the face of an exceptionally serious event that affects not only the wildlife heritage but also years of work in the area.
The deliberate killing of ten individuals—one of the worst cases ever recorded in Italy—represents a criminal act that appears planned and executed with the intent to target a conservation area of extraordinary symbolic value for the wolf species. However, merely formally condemning the act would be insufficient. This episode is part of a broader context characterized by a progressive deterioration in the quality of public debate about wolves and, more generally, large carnivores.
Recent years have seen growing polarization, an extreme simplification of complex phenomena, and constant pressure to downgrade the species' protection tools, culminating in the downgrading of its European protection status, which was also adopted by the Italian Parliament. This implementation not only impacts formal legislation, but also weakens the sanctioning system and its effectiveness.
This episode also provides us with the opportunity to highlight how profound hypocrisy persists in Italy's wolf management today: regional governments too often choose not to intervene, even in those rare cases where specific and rigorous measures are needed, reducing conflict with communities and responding clearly to their requests. At the same time, a coherent national management plan based on scientific evidence is lacking: the species thus remains exposed to constant fluctuations, influenced more by political balances and lobbying pressure than by a long-term technical and scientific vision.
The result is clear: an iconic species, a symbol of Italian biodiversity, saved from the brink of extinction in the 70s, is now effectively managed through illegal practices. What happened is therefore neither an isolated nor unpredictable event, but the direct product of this context. The figure of ten dead wolves therefore takes on a significance that goes far beyond a single episode. It points to a systemic criticality and signals a cultural setback compared to the progress made in recent decades in terms of coexistence and evidence-based management.
It is essential that the ongoing investigations quickly clarify responsibilities and ensure effective action against the use of poisoned bait, one of the most harmful and difficult to control practices. The Italian Parliament should also respond accordingly, harshening its condemnation of these barbaric acts that can no longer be part of our society.
At the same time, it is necessary to bring the issue of the wolf back within a technical and scientific framework, removing it from emergency logics and distorted narratives that are not reflected in reality, but only in political harangues on social media.
Events like this don't just concern the conservation of a single species; they call into question the system's overall ability to manage the relationship between human activities and wildlife in a rational, informed, and responsible manner. Ignoring the warnings coming from these ten animals would mean accepting a progressive weakening of conservation policies and, with them, the very credibility of institutions.
Photos of the Abruzzo, Lazio, and Molise National Park
Official press release