Capellino Foundation: Reason Over Lead Romanticism
There is unrest in Italy: politicians want to “modernize” hobby hunting — meaning more weapons, fewer rules, and even more blank cheques for “ecological shooting.”
The Capellino Foundation responds: enough of this absurd spectacle.
Because while politicians preach hunting romanticism, reality looks more like a poorly written Western — with wild boar in a supporting role and nature as collateral damage.
Draft law No. 1552 is intended to “update” hunting law 157/92. Translated, that means: more shots, less protection. Too bad that 70% of the population, according to Ipsos and Piepoli surveys, sees things quite differently. But since when have politicians cared about majority opinion when a hunting club is somewhere grilling sausages?
Nothing justifies hunting, except perhaps the ego
Over 210’000 people watched the event“Nothing justifies hunting” live. That is roughly 200’000 more than typically show up at a hunters’ association meeting with free goulash.
Foundation president Pier Giovanni Capellino remains measured — remarkably more measured than the situation deserves:
We do not want to ban hunting, but to prevent new laws from making the damage worse.
A statement that sounds as though one does not want to extinguish a fire, but merely wants to prevent the fire brigade from pouring petrol on it.
Science Instead of Huntsmen’s Wisdom
The Capellino Foundation relies on facts. An independent commission of genuine experts is to scientifically examine the topic of hunting in the future — people with microscopes rather than rifle scopes.
Because the myths of the hunting fraternity persist as stubbornly as lead residues in game meat:
- “We protect biodiversity!” — By decimating it?
- “We are conservationists!” — With a silencer?
- “Without us there would be too many animals!” — Without you, there might just be too many arguments.
Ecologists worldwide consistently demonstrate: nature regulates itself when left alone. This merely disturbs those who enjoy posturing as “God's representatives in the forest.”
Politics in Hunting Fever
Member of Parliament Eleonora Evi hit the nail on the head at the event (and not the wild boar):
The notion that hunting contributes to the protection of biodiversity is scientifically unfounded.
This does not stop certain parliamentarians from casting themselves as eco-heroes while polishing their shotguns in the cupboard. Apparently, in Italy as elsewhere, a hunting licence is sufficient to suddenly become a “nature manager” — a job title that exists in reality about as frequently as lead-free hobby hunters.
Hunting — The Last Refuge of Male Myths
Let us be honest: hobby hunting is no longer a “necessary craft” but rather a substitute activity for those who understand nature only in the form of trophies. When hobby hunters claim they “love the animals,” it sounds somewhat like:
I love my wife — especially as wallpaper.
And when hunting associations declare they are “fighting for species protection,” it is as though McDonald's were presenting an animal welfare award.
The Capellino Foundation: Facts Instead of Firearms
The foundation therefore calls for a scientifically grounded, independent commission, free from lobbying, ideology, and bar-room wisdom. The aim: to understand reality, not to romanticise it. For the greatest problem with hobby hunting is not the wildlife, but the worldview.
This is about biodiversity, the common good, and responsibility — things that cannot be shot, only protected.
Capellino states it plainly:
We have nothing to gain, but everything to defend: the right of future generations to live in harmony with nature.
A statement that is presumably considered “radical” in hunting circles — where one believes that firing a shot into the forest somehow creates “balance.”
Conclusion: An End to the Myth of the Green Trigger
Hunting is not nature conservation but a hobby with bloody side effects. The Capellino Foundation reminds us that genuine environmental protection is based on knowledge, not on hunters' tall tales.
While some continue to dream of being “guardians of the forest,” the foundation is working towards a future in which the forest no longer needs guardians with weapons.
For nature needs no saviours in camouflage — it only needs people to finally stop shooting at it.
