April 23, 2026, 2:17 p.mApril 23, 2026, 2:17 p.m
The number of wolves that have been killed in the national park of the central Italian mountain region of Abruzzo in recent days continues to increase. After the deaths of ten wolves were reported last week, the animal protection association WWF complained on Thursday that the carcasses of another eight animals had been found.
According to initial findings, all cases were poisonings. The local public prosecutor’s office is investigating.
The WWF lamented an “ongoing massacre that strikes at the heart of our natural heritage.” Using poison to kill wolves is a cowardly and criminal act against biodiversity and at the same time an attack on public safety. “Such acts must not go unpunished in 2026,” the organization said in a press release.
The poison would kill not only wolves, but also many other animals, both wild and domestic. The brown bear, a symbol of the Abruzzo region, is also at risk, and its population has now shrunk to just a few dozen individuals – especially in the areas where poison is used.
Around 3,500 wolves live in Italy
According to experts, around 3,500 wolves live in Italy – more than in any other EU country. Tensions with pastoralism continue, particularly as a result of attacks on livestock. Wildlife expert Piero Genovesi from the scientific institute ISPRA described the poisonings as “extremely serious”. At the same time, he emphasized that humans and wolves can live together if protective measures are consistently implemented. (sda/apa)