Criminal Investigation Launched After Multiple Wolf Deaths in National Park
The carcasses of 18 wolves have been discovered within a week in Italy's Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise national park, in what appears to be a series of poisonings. Conservationists have described these incidents as the most severe crimes against wildlife in the past decade.
Authorities managing the national park reported that eight wolves were found dead recently across three distinct areas of the extensive park, adding to the 10 carcasses found the previous week. Additionally, three dead foxes and a buzzard were located.
“The disappointment blends with despair … It’s a pain that ranges from profound suffering to disbelief,”
stated the park authorities.
“We hope that we don’t have to deal with further bad news. We repeat once again that whatever the motivation, illegality and crime cannot be justified in any way.”
Investigation and Evidence of Poisoning
A criminal investigation commenced last week after park rangers discovered suspected poisoned bait near five dead wolves in the Alfedena area. This led to suspicions that five additional wolves found in Pescasseroli suffered the same fate.
Tests are ongoing to determine the exact cause of death, although the simultaneous fatalities of other animal species strongly suggest deliberate poisoning.
Concerns Over Impact on Endangered Species
The situation is particularly alarming given the presence of the Marsican brown bear, a critically endangered subspecies of the brown bear, inhabiting the Apennine mountains within the national park.
Luciano D’Angelo, the prosecutor leading the investigation, commented to the press:
“Bears and wolves are symbols of this area and we do not take their killings lightly. Initial investigations tell us it was poison, but we’ll know later exactly what it was.”
WWF Italy Condemns the Killings
The Italian branch of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) described these incidents as the “most serious crimes against wildlife of the last 10 years” and characterized them as “an unacceptable criminal trend in a civilised country.”
“We’ve reached 18 [wolves] illegally killed within just a few days,”
the organisation stated.
“This continued massacre strikes at the heart of our natural heritage. Spreading poison to target an iconic species like the wolf is a cowardly and criminal act against biodiversity and an attack on public safety – it’s 2026 and these acts cannot go unpunished.”
Policy Changes and Population Context
WWF Italy partly attributes the deaths to the European Union’s decision last year to downgrade the wolf’s conservation status from “strictly protected” to “protected.” This change was primarily intended to facilitate easier culling and management of increasing wolf populations. The downgrade followed pressure from farmers concerned about rising livestock attacks and was strongly supported by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, citing the case of a wolf named Dolly.
There are an estimated 20,000 wild wolves across EU countries, with the largest populations in Italy, followed by Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Poland, and Spain.
Historically in Italy, wolves were classified as “harmful pests” and hunting them was actively encouraged. However, in the 1970s, when their population neared extinction, the Italian government enacted legislation granting wolves official protection and prohibiting hunting.
