Some 400,000 Italian hunters kill millions of animals every year. Yet 8 out of 10 Italians are against hunting. That is why we must strive to create a new relationship between us and wild animals, based on peaceful coexistence.
With the establishment of the new Parliament and the new Government, following the September 2022 elections in Italy what we called "the greatest attack ever made on wildlife " began,
Politicians are demolishing the minimal protections that national regulations guarantee to wildlife.
From January 2023 the "Wild Hunt" Amendment explicitly allows hunters to enter cities and protected parks and has canceled the scientific checks of wildlife control activities.
Other regulatory changes are underway to remove from the National Scientific Institute - ISPRA - the control of regional hunting calendars, to pass it to new regional institutes of political appointment, so the controller will also be the controlled.
We defend all wild animals, both native and non-native, from human exploitation, abuse, and killing. This includes species from snails to those protected by national and international regulations. Our efforts span the entire country, encompassing urban areas, protected areas, and diverse habitats, ranging from plains to hills and mountains.
We also defend natural habitats through targeted actions to combat soil consumption and minimize communication infrastructures' impact on wild animals.
We stand firmly against all forms of wildlife killing, whether it manifests as scientific "wildlife control," recreational "hunting," or illegal " poaching.
We strive to foster harmonious coexistence between humans and wildlife, advocating also for the development and implementation of innovative scientific solutions to eradicate the killing of wild animals.
We act on several fronts:
We actively engage in the working groups of the European coalition Eurogroup for Animals, to which we belong, and collaborate with leading national associations to advance our shared goals.
Find out more (Italian Pages)
In January 2023 a law was passed that allowed hunters to enter cities and parks, marking the beginning of the largest attack on wild animals in Italy.
Since then, more laws have been passed that weaken wildlife protection and make it easier for hunters to kill wild animals. This is a betrayal of the Constitution, which protects biodiversity and animals.
In response to this attack, LAV has launched a petition addressed to President Mattarella, calling for the full implementation of Article 9 of the Constitution, which protects wild animals and the environment.
Article 9, which was enshrined in the Constitution less than two years ago, is now being trampled on by politicians who are beholden to the hunting lobby, a small minority of citizens who only care about killing as many animals as possible.
Artist Harry Greb's mural in Rome, depicting President Mattarella as a new Saint Francis surrounded by wild animals, was a powerful reminder of this fundamental principle.
We can no longer accept the daily violence against wild animals, which politicians use to gain political support, even if it means sacrificing the lives of millions of animals and ignoring the national interest in protecting biodiversity.
In recent times, we have been particularly dedicated to safeguarding wolves and bears from culling and captivity.
These species enjoy a high level of protection in Italy and, unlike in other parts of Europe, cannot be hunted or killed, except in the exceptional circumstances stipulated by the EU Habitats Directive.
We work to promote coexistence with large carnivores through information and awareness-raising activities for citizens, also in collaboration with institutions.
Drawing inspiration from successful North American initiatives, we have, for instance, been organizing the annual Bear Ambassador program since 2021.
The initiative, run in partnership with the Adamello Brenta Nature Park in the province of Trento, aims to educate park visitors about responsible behaviour when encountering brown bears, thereby minimising the risk of accidents.