I'm Not Afraid of the Wolf APS sent a letter today to the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella requesting authoritative intervention in the face of recent and very serious incidents of wolf killing recorded in various areas of the country.
In recent days, in Abruzzo—within the Abruzzo, Lazio, and Molise National Park—more than fifteen wolves have died or been implicated in a possible large-scale poisoning incident. In Tuscany, other wolves have been killed and hung in public places in a deliberately intimidating display.
According to the association, these events cannot be viewed as isolated incidents, but represent "an alarming sign of a deteriorating relationship between a part of the country and its natural heritage." "We are not simply facing individual criminal acts, however serious," the letter states, "but an increasingly toxic climate, in which wildlife is being transformed into a target and a tool for propaganda."
The association emphasizes that in recent years poaching has remained a widespread and largely hidden phenomenon, often characterized by extremely cruel methods such as the use of poison, traps, and firearms.
In this context, the role of the recent implementation of the downgrading of wolf protection at the European level is also highlighted, which—while not automatically implying culling—"may have contributed to fueling confusion and lowering the perception of the need for protection, legitimizing hostile attitudes and illegal behavior in some contexts."
I'm Not Afraid of the Wolf APS, which has been active nationwide for over ten years providing information, prevention, and support to local communities, announces that it is preparing the necessary reports in relation to recent cases.
"Destroying wildlife," the letter continues, "means destroying the future of our country. It doesn't just affect a few species or peripheral territories: it affects Italy's civic quality and respect for the law."
In addressing the President of the Republic, the association asks for a clear signal: to reaffirm that violence against wildlife and natural heritage cannot be normalized or used as a political battleground.
"The protection of nature," the association concludes, "is not an obstacle to development, but a constitutional, civic, and cultural duty."