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The confirmation of the first case of African swine fever in Lombardy, in addition to the recent appearance of the virus in Calabria and Campania, are worrying signs that call for increasingly effective measures to combat the spread of the disease.
In September ISPRA resumed experimental trapping sessions for the containment of wild boar. The innovative trap is called PIG BRIG and has been designed to be easy to use and effective.
The tests are carried out in the Bosco della Partecipanza and Grange Vercellesi Natural Park. The first tests yielded positive results and are part of the operational phase of the experimental project SuINNOVA - African Swine Fever - a study of innovative technologies in the field for the eradication of the disease, concerning the definition of the most suitable wild boar trapping protocols to contribute to the fight against the disease in the various environmental contexts involved.
The project is coordinated by the Piedmont, Liguria and Valle d'Aosta Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute and is carried out in collaboration with ISPRA and the Piedmont Po Protected Areas Management Authority.
The objective of the project is to evaluate the catching capacity of the PIG BRIG, the manageability and versatility with respect to local conditions, the possibility of guaranteeing essential biosecurity conditions, the personnel required, and the costs of use. The practical knowledge acquired during the project will be summarized in a manual accompanied by training courses for the personnel involved in the trapping activities.
The PIGBRIG trap is circular in shape and consists of a square mesh nylon net, supported by trees and/or stakes and partially anchored to the ground by stakes. This type of trap was specifically designed to optimize wild boar captures in any environmental situation (from wooded areas, including mountainous areas, to swampy and/or low-lying agricultural areas). The trap, in fact, besides allowing multiple captures, offering the possibility of eliminating entire herds in a single capture, is easily transportable and can be installed in any environment by just two people.
August 2023/ ISPRA/ Italy.
https://www.isprambiente.gov.it/
