Suspected poisoning has led to the deaths of 18 wolves within a few days in a national park spanning three regions of central Italy. The Abruzzo, Lazio, and Molise National Park authority reported that after 10 wolf carcasses were discovered last week, intensified patrols uncovered eight more deaths, raising strong suspicions of deliberate poisoning.
Traces of suspected poisoned bait were initially found near five of the dead wolves. Subsequent tests at the local animal health research institute (IZS) in Teramo confirmed the presence of agricultural pesticides, commonly used in poisoned bait for animals, in 13 of the carcasses.
Italy's Environment Minister, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, condemned the killings as "horrendous and serious," emphasizing that protecting wolves is essential for ecosystem balance. The Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (Ispra) warned that such poisonings pose risks not only to protected wildlife but also to domestic pets and public safety.
Wolves have seen a population resurgence across Europe, with EU numbers rising by 35% to 23,000 between 2016 and 2023. In Italy alone, an estimated 3,300 wolves exist, according to a 2020-21 census. However, increased livestock attacks have led the EU to downgrade wolves' protection status from "strictly protected" to "protected," allowing limited culls. Italy plans to permit a cull of 160 wolves annually from 2026.
Stefano Ciafani, head of environmental group Legambiente, described the 18 deaths as an "unprecedented attack on protected wildlife" and an act of "do-it-yourself justice." He warned that other endangered species, such as the Marsican brown bear—with only about 50 individuals remaining—could also be targeted.
The park authority is collaborating with local prosecutors to determine the exact cause of death and has called for a review of the planned cull in light of these poisonings.