Catalonia wild boar populations face a drastic cull as authorities target the elimination of 60,000 animals following an African swine fever outbreak.
The Generalitat has declared an urgent need to halve the estimated winter population of 125,000 wild boars, which currently averages 6.2 per square kilometre across Catalan woodlands.
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Consequently, this move aims to address a long-standing overpopulation crisis now exacerbated by a serious animal disease.
Catalonia Wild Boar Plan Accelerates After Disease Detection
The detection of African swine fever (PPA) in the Collserola area, with 13 confirmed cases so far, has accelerated government action. Agriculture Councillor Òscar Ordeig, presenting the plan in Parliament, stated bluntly that “there are too many wild boars in Catalonia.” Furthermore, the outbreak has highlighted significant social, environmental, and economic dysfunctions caused by the overabundance. The government’s medium-term goal is to reduce the animal’s presence in most forested areas, particularly in critical zones where density nearly triples the average.
Authorities plan to enlist the help of Catalonia’s 58,000 licensed hunters, offering payments of between €18 and €30 for each animal captured and sacrificed. However, this strategy has sparked political debate. Meanwhile, the PP’s Eva García argued that hunters are “part of the solution, not enemies,” but questioned whether the government would grant them sufficient freedom to act.
The economic stakes are high. Junts per Catalunya deputy Jeannine Abella criticised the government’s speed in mitigating market blockades, warning that 40,000 jobs in the pork sector are at risk. She highlighted that Japan alone buys an average of 15,000 tonnes of pork from Catalonia monthly. The swift containment of the outbreak is therefore crucial for the regional economy.
This environmental management challenge follows other significant discoveries during infrastructure work in the region, such as when Barcelona’s Sagrera station work uncovered a Civil War shelter. The current plan underscores the complex balance between urban development, public health, and wildlife management in modern Catalonia.
According to the original report in El País, the government insists that when discussing “captures,” it explicitly means sacrifices. The success of the Catalonia wild boar reduction plan now depends on effectively mobilising the hunting community and navigating the political landscape to protect both public health and a vital industry.
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