This especially complex and careful inspection was carried out in an area where a poisoned red kite had been found in 2017.
The red kite - a species considered “vulnerable” in Italy - was going back to its area of origin in the Czech Republic to nest, after having spent the winter in southern Tuscany. On 18 March 2017 a poison bait, stuffed with a toxic and fast-acting substance (carbofuran), killed it not far from the spot where another red kite had been found dead just two years earlier in the same period. That red kite had been reintroduced in southern Tuscany by CERM (Centro Rapaci Minacciati - Centre for threatened birds of prey), but in that case the bad state of the carcass had made it impossible to identify the cause of death.
Both red kites had been constantly followed in their movements, thanks to the GPS data loggers applied on them.
In general, illegal use of poison is more frequent in the spring, because in some areas poison baits are used to kill wild animals, especially foxes, that may predate species released in the nature for hunting purposes (small hares, pheasants, etc.). However, poison is indiscriminate in its effect, and many threatened species of mammals and birds of prey are also killed.
These factors led to increased alertness in the area, and checks were carried out that included the inspection by three patrols and two Anti-poison Dog Units.
The two Units acted under the coordination of the Office for Studies and Projects of the Carabinieri Biodiversity and Parks Department, and they belong to the Carabinieri corps command deployed at Foreste Casentinesi National Park (LIFE PLUTO project) and the Carabinieri Biodiversity command of Follonica (LIFE Medwolf project).
During the inspection, which covered an area of about 400 hectares and lasted 4 hours, no poison baits were found.