In early January, videos began appearing on social media showing wolves strolling near homes in the cities of Rimini and Cesena, with one clip capturing the moment when three wolves attacked a cat. This drew attention to the issue of coexistence between humans and wildlife, which is also relevant in other European countries such as France, Germany, and Spain.
On January 6, Rimini Fellini Airport suspended all flights. The reason for this was not weather conditions, but a pack of four wolves spotted near the runway. Fortunately, the airport operates on a reduced schedule in winter, so only one flight was canceled. However, it is more important to understand why the wolves ended up in this location.
According to Pierre Claudio Arrigoni, a wildlife expert, the wolves that have been in the region for two years may have been attracted by rabbits, which the snow forced to leave their usual hunting grounds.
Creation of a "wolf emergency" committee
Residents of Rimini are concerned about the situation and have created a "wolf emergency" committee to discuss the growing wolf population. The city also has a special service that deals with inquiries on this issue.
Biologist Tani Baskucchi, who works in this service, claims that wolves are attracted by waste and dog food left in gardens. However, attacks on humans are rare and mainly occur when wolves lose their fear of people.
Nevertheless, they do attack domestic animals such as dogs and sheep, as these are easy prey. She advises keeping pets in enclosed pens at night, noting that a traditional "anti-wolf" fence should be slanted so that wolves cannot jump over it.
However, not all residents agree with such recommendations.
Members of the "wolf emergency" committee emphasize that the increase in the wolf population poses a serious problem. They state that they face a choice between protecting their territories and coexisting with wolves, as the latter seems impossible.
“We know almost nothing about wolves, as they have not been here for over a hundred years. Previously, farmers used shotguns and there were 'wolf hunters' who were paid for their extermination,” they note.
Residents express dissatisfaction with the authorities' recommendations to keep pets indoors or build safer enclosures. “Now we are being convinced that the problem lies with us. We are being asked to install high fences, underground barriers, and electric enclosures,” they say.
Benefits of wolf presence
Despite the increase in attacks on domestic animals, environmental organizations emphasize that the return of wolves has its advantages. The Rimini branch of WWF claims that wolves are a "valuable resource" for the ecosystem.
“This helps restore balance in nature and control the population of wild boars, whose numbers have significantly increased,” they add.
Simplifying the hunting and trapping of wolves
Local authorities believe that the approach to wolf protection diverges from European standards. Last year, the European Parliament changed the conservation status of the wolf in the EU from "strictly protected" to "protected," giving countries more freedom in managing their population.
This simplifies the adoption of measures that correspond to specific regional conditions. The authorities of Emilia-Romagna note that the national management plan, which regions must adhere to, has not been updated since 2002 and does not take into account the change in the wolf's status at the European level.
At the end of the month, a meeting of local mayors, the police chief, and forest police will take place to discuss new strategies for controlling the wolf population.
