Italy reports surge in poaching of protected birds of prey

Wildlife recovery centers in Italy are reporting an immediate rise in poaching incidents following the start of the 2026 hunting season. The WWF CRAS center in Valpredina (Bergamo) has treated five protected birds of prey, including kestrels and sparrowhawks, wounded by firearms. Similar incidents were reported in Sicily, where a marsh harrier and a buzzard were recovered with lead pellets in their systems; four of the seven animals treated across these cases did not survive.

In a related incident in Soncino, Carabinieri intervened when a grandfather was caught teaching two children, aged 11 and 12, how to poach using a loaded 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun and illegal electroacoustic devices. Michela Vittoria Brambilla, president of the Parliamentary Commission for Childhood and Adolescence, condemned the incident, calling for stricter regulations and criticizing the handing of weapons to minors.

Environmental organizations suggest that poaching is driven by an illegal attempt to control territory, as raptors are viewed as competitors for game species. Experts also point to the inadequacy of current sanctions and the need for Italy to align its penalties with the new European Directive on the protection of the environment.