The wolf has arrived in the plains, and nutria are among its prey. According to experts, this factor could make the wolf’s presence less problematic than one might think and, in some cases, even helpful in controlling a species considered invasive. Management, however, remains the key issue: rather than focusing on culling, the goal should be to monitor the animals and work on conflict prevention.
The topic was discussed on Thursday, September 17, at the Giancarlo Ligabue Natural History Museum in Venice, during the final summer event of the “Aperitivi al Museo” series, with a talk titled “The Wolf in the Plains: An Unexpected Return.” The speakers were Mauro Belardi, a biologist and expert on large carnivores, and Mauro Bon from the Venetian museum.
The presence of wolves is no longer limited exclusively to mountainous areas. Their return to the Alps is traced back to 1992, and in 2012, the first pair formed in the Eastern Alps: Slavc, born between Croatia and Slovenia, and Giulietta, who came from the Apennines. From that pair, packs have developed that are now present in the Veneto region as well.
“We shouldn’t think of the wolf as an animal that lives exclusively in the woods and mountains,” Belardi explained, “but as a very versatile species, capable of adapting even to coastal areas and the plains.” Wolves have also been spotted in the municipal areas of major European cities such as Rome, Madrid, Ljubljana, and Milan.
According to experts, the population growth is linked to the increased availability of prey—particularly deer and wild boars—the depopulation of mountainous areas, and conservation policies that have prohibited wolf hunting. This situation has brought humans face-to-face with a large predator once again after about a century of absence from the Alps.
Belardi notes that the conflict is often fueled by a lack of knowledge about the animal. “Statistically speaking, it’s not a very harmful animal: deer, wild boars, and coypu are more harmful.” This does not eliminate the problems for farmers, who may suffer from predation on their livestock and already have to deal with other difficulties, from drought to generational turnover. Experience in some areas, however, shows that greater awareness and the adoption of preventive measures can reduce conflict even as wolf populations increase.
The issue of culling—which is permitted in certain cases in countries such as France and Switzerland—remains open. According to Belardi, culling is not an effective solution. In fact, reducing or breaking up packs can encourage the presence of lone wolves, which may turn to more easily accessible prey, including domestic livestock. Understanding the composition and movements of packs, on the other hand, makes it easier to identify preventive measures.
And it is precisely the plain that offers an unexpected finding. “We studied the diet of some wolves that have settled in Polesine and noticed that they prey heavily on nutria,” Bon said. The analysis also revealed evidence of fish predation.
The presence of wolves in the plains, however, is not without risks for the animals themselves. Packs may be unstable and prone to high mortality rates due to road traffic. Added to this is the use of rodenticides, which can kill wolves or impair their ability to react, thereby increasing the risk of being struck by vehicles.
The possible arrival of wolves in the plains therefore raises a management issue rather than simply a question of their presence or absence: monitoring the animals, understanding their habits, and implementing preventive measures can help reduce damage and conflict. This is especially true because, at least in Polesine, nutria are already among the wolf’s prey.
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