Poisoning of a fox at Bagni di Vinadio
News of
The poisoning of a fox at Bagni di Vinadio, a hamlet (frazione) of the municipality of Vinadio in the upper Stura valley, in the summer of 2025 was the subject of an investigation that ended in a criminal conviction for killing an animal with poisoned bait. The case involved the discovery of a dead animal that had ingested poison scattered in the environment.
The facts
In the summer of 2025 a fox was found dead from poisoning at Bagni di Vinadio. The investigation was carried out jointly by the Carabinieri Forestry Unit of Demonte and the Wildlife and Environment Unit of the Province of Cuneo, with the support of the Forestry Carabinieri's anti-poison dog units [1][2].
The investigation and the conviction
Technical tests carried out by the Zooprophylactic Institute of Piedmont, Liguria and Valle d'Aosta made it possible to identify a resident of the valley as responsible for laying out the lethal bait, used to drive foxes away from the area [1][2]. The judge of the Court of Cuneo issued a criminal conviction decree against him, with a total fine of €5,300, aggravated by the cruelty and suffering inflicted on the animal [1][2].
The context
According to the sources, the use of poison to kill wild animals still affects some rural Italian communities, and the Stura valley is no stranger to similar episodes. Because the practice is not selective, it can also kill protected or domestic species; it has also been among the causes of the extinction in the Alps of the bearded vulture (gipeto), a species partly reintroduced in the area. The authorities urge residents to promptly report any suspicious material [2].