5. Conclusions
The ethics and compliance of considering wild animals to be components of a complex ecosystem are
undisputable values (Sandøe et al., 2008), but at the same time, it is important to safeguard human activities, in this
case those linked to agriculture and forestry, the most fragile in economic terms. Reduction of wildlife density can
be obtained in various ways:
a) Implementing a specific prevention plan: in rural land areas where the pressure of wildlife is more evident,
preventive action should be allowed, and therefore the main cost is represented by the forms of the prevention
adopted, but at the same time, the forestland and the restoration of damaged young plants must be provided for. In
both cases, however, the economic damage is represented by the cost of these interventions.
b) With transparently moving of the animals to other places where the problem does not exist, and finally by the
removal (extermination) of animal populations that are excessive in respect to predetermined target density.
The latter choice is certainly not a painless solution, surely the most difficult to be accepted by public opinion. At
the same time, we should not forget that Tuscany has a great abundance of wild ungulates, which, if managed
properly, can provide large potential income for farm owners and for hunters. It should be noted though that in
Tuscany meat from chain industry of wild ungulates is currently undeveloped, and there are too many connected
health problems to permit free marketing.