The situation of the fallow deer in the Po delta is in balance.The biologist's opinion

There are too many fallow deer in the Po delta.For the park authority the only solution is to eliminate them.But animal rights activists are protesting and looking for alternatives.Who is right?

There are about a thousand of them fallow deer who inhabit the Po delta park, straddling the pine forests of Class and of They fly.A territory that is still in some ways uncontaminated, rich in plant and shrub species, but also in wild animals that mark its biodiversity of the ecosystem.The deer in question were imported into the area from other territories, not taking into account the fact that the species could interfere with the inhabitants of the colonized areas.And the short-sightedness of the human being, once again, becomes evident:years later, the specimens living in the park are now considered  “an alien species” and not contemplated in the habitat that has been assigned to them.With this motivation, in fact, the park authority has published a announcement to contract out the capture and destination of fallow deer to farms and slaughterhouses from beyond 30 they have lived in the area for years.A decidedly contestable solution which has sparked protests and stances from animal rights associations and those responsible for protecting the area's ungulates.But for now, fortunately, the massacre will have to be postponed.The notice for the capture and removal of fallow deer expired on Last September 15th it has gone deserted and the ungulates remain safe and free.But let's take a step back and try to better understand this story which, as usual, sees innocent animals as the innocent protagonists.

The fallow deer of the Po delta and the environmental impact

There are around a thousand fallow deer that populate the area between the pine forests of Classe and Volano.The estimate is difficult to make even if the park authority has ruled a priori that at least they should be killed 300 specimens per year to avoid damage to the ecosystem.Ungulates were introduced to the park in the years between 1970 and the 1990.They are therefore not a species native of the area, but allochthonous, that is, not native to the area, but which comes from other areas.In the current state of things, however, according to the park workers, ungulates constitute a threat to the ecosystem as they are animals “aliens”.Not only that, the fallow deer is considered very annoying for hunters as its smell could confuse hounds.But the series of complaints against the poor animal does not end here.The opinion of the farmers in the area must also be recorded for a series of detailed reasons listed in Regional plan for the control of fallow deer populations.To conclude on a high note, here is the final gem:the fallow deer are considered dangerous because the park is a protected natural area recognized as such by 1988, is bordered by traffic state road 16 Adriatica.And their possible trespassing could cause accidents and traffic problems in the area (it should be noted, in this regard, that with the data collected by the Region itself the number of accidents connected to the presence of animals is decidedly negligible).

A dead deer is a nice profit

The death of the deer would constitute an excellent profit for the meat market.From a market survey carried out by the Park Authority, it can be seen that the granting of concessions for the capture and relocation of fallow deer specimens (dame dame) present in the territory of the Po Delta park ofEmilia Romagna certifies that the value of deer meat in Italy varies between 4 euros per kilogram (kg) for males And 4.30 euros per kilogram for females and young people under one year of age.The average useful weight of the specimens, excluding the skin, the head and the lower part of the legs, is approximately 25kg for males e 20kg for females and young people.This means that the overall value of the items present is slightly higher than 100,000 euros.The estimate dates back to Last August 29th and provoked an immediate reaction from the animal rights associations.There Network of deer protection associations in Classe and Volano has, in fact, mobilized together with’Enpa  (National Animal Protection Association) to avoid the possible massacre of the deer.All as it happened in 2014, when thanks to the mobilizations of animal rights activists they were saved seventy deer.

The opinion of biologist Mauro Belardi on fallow deer

The matter is controversial because, even in the case of the fallow deer of the Po delta park, the coexistence of alien species is not always easy if not helped and encouraged by an efficient and preserved ecosystem.We asked the biologist Mauro Belardi, president of Eliante cooperative which operates in the field of environmental sustainability what do you think of the matter and how do you frame what is happening with a view to protecting the environment.

“The number of fallow deer estimated in Italy reaches tens of thousands with a growing population.Those that inhabit the Po delta are of very recent introduction.It should be noted that fallow deer, like all ungulates, can cause damage to agriculture.But it is also important to underline that these animals can create problems for the balance of ecosystems precisely because alien species.They can damage, for example, forest regrowth, but they can also compete with native ungulates and, in particular for the delta territory, we could talk about the deer present at Mesola forest with an Italic subpopulation (Cervus elaphus italicus) now reduced to very few individuals and subject to a difficult rescue plan".

So could the elimination of deer be necessary in that particular area?
Well, the media attention for the 300 fallow deer of the Po delta seems a bit curious and largely emotional when thousands of fallow deer are taken through selection hunts every year throughout Italy, based on numbers authorized by the regions.

There had been talk of a possible solution with the sterilization of excess subjects.What do you think?
It is difficult to have a precise opinion on the option of sterilizing or moving the fallow deer instead of culling them.These are complex and expensive options for saving animals that would otherwise be subject to selection plans elsewhere.As for the hypothesis of waiting for the arrival of natural predators, such as the wolf, it should be underlined that the Great Predator is already present in the Po delta area and certainly contributes to keeping the fallow deer populations under control.But a pack of wolves defends a territory of about 200 square kilometers and also preys on other species of ungulates, as well as other mammals.It is therefore not able to regulate a number of subjects such as those in question in a short time."

Once again, therefore, man and his lack of knowledge of the primary mechanisms of nature are at the root of the problem.And, once again, it is the animals who pay the price, the weakest subjects in the chain.The respite for the fallow deer of the Po delta is only temporary, as happens to many other animal species that have been introduced arbitrarily into non-native habitats (see the case of nutria).We can only hope for a better future for us and for the animals around us, a future where respect for natural laws is truly an inviolable axiom.