Large Scale Wolf Poisoning Suspected in Central Italy

Fri Apr 24 2026 18:15:10 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

An alarming incident in Italy's national parks raises the question of wildlife protection as 18 wolves suspected of being poisoned have been discovered dead in a short span of time.

The deaths of 18 wolves in the Abruzzo, Lazio, and Molise National Park in Italy are being investigated as possible poisoning incidents. Initial findings suggest agricultural pesticides might have been used in bait. The incident has garnered national attention and raised concerns over wildlife protection and ecosystem balance.

Poisoning is suspected in the deaths of 18 wolves within a few days in a national park that straddles three regions of central Italy.

After the carcasses of 10 wolves were found last week, another eight were discovered when patrols were stepped up in recent days in the Abruzzo, Lazio, and Molise National Park.

The park authority stated last week that traces of possibly poisoned bait had been found in an area where five wolves had previously been found dead. The latest deaths have raised very strong suspicion of further poisoning.

The authority is currently working to ascertain the cause of death in collaboration with local public prosecutors.

Preliminary tests conducted by the local animal health research institute IZS confirmed initial suspicions, suggesting the presence of pesticides for agricultural use found in the poisoned bait.

Thirteen of the deceased wolves were sent to the institute in Teramo, which detected harmful substances linked to agricultural pesticides.

Environment Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin has condemned the killings, expressing that they are horrendous and serious, and emphasized that protecting wolves is crucial for maintaining ecological balance.

The Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (Ispra) has indicated that the poisoning raises concerns about significant progress in animal protection and conservation measures.

This incident's implications extend beyond wolves, posing risks to other protected species, domestic pets, and public safety due to poisonous bait being left in the environment.

Wolves have recently seen an increase in their population across Europe, with the EU reporting a 35% rise in numbers from 2016 to 2023, particularly in Central Europe and Alpine regions. In Italy alone, the wolf population was estimated to be around 3,300, according to a 2020-21 census by Ispra.

While the EU downgraded the "strictly protected" status of wolves due to increasing livestock attacks to mere "protected," environmental groups are campaigning against a limited annual cull of 160 wolves authorized in Italy starting from 2026.

Stefano Ciafani, head of the environmental group Legambiente, described the recent wolf deaths as an unprecedented attack on protected wildlife, warning that other species like the Marsican brown bear—an endangered symbol of the Abruzzo national park—could be at risk.