Authorities are escalating their efforts to control a burgeoning wild boar population within the Serra de Collserola Natural Park, deploying a combination of thermal-imaging drones, advanced trapping systems, and silent night patrols to curb the spread of African swine fever (ASF).

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The operation, led by the Agents Rurals of the Generalitat de Catalunya, aims to cull an estimated 500 boars in Barcelona’s vast woodland park. This drastic measure is part of a wider strategy to create a buffer zone and prevent the highly contagious animal disease from reaching Catalonia’s vital pork industry.

The alarm was raised after the ASF virus, first detected near Bellaterra in late 2025, was confirmed in an animal within Barcelona’s city limits. This discovery prompted the unprecedented closure of the entire 8,000-hectare park to the public on March 11th. The UK government’s BEACON project reported 227 positive cases in the wider region by mid-March. While African swine fever is fatal to pigs and wild boars, it poses no risk to humans.

A High-Tech Approach to Culling

With the initial outbreak zone near Bellaterra now largely clear of the animals, the focus has shifted squarely to Collserola. To avoid scattering the boars and potentially spreading the virus further, authorities have adopted a quiet, methodical approach, eschewing traditional hunts that often use barking dogs.

The centrepiece of the new strategy is a large-scale trapping system from the American company Pig Brig®. These innovative traps use wide nets to encircle a baited area, allowing entire family groups of boars to enter. Once inside, the design of the netting prevents them from escaping. Agents then dispatch the captured animals with firearms.

“It’s an ideal system for capturing large family groups,” an expert in wildlife management told El Periódico. The Generalitat is reportedly considering purchasing more of these systems to accelerate the programme.

In addition to the large nets, two other methods are in use:

  • Conventional Cage Traps: Authorities are deploying these smaller, baited traps, which can capture one or two animals at a time, in areas closer to human habitation. They require less manpower to set up and monitor.
  • Nocturnal Patrols: Teams of Agents Rurals, sometimes supported by a specialised Civil Guard unit, conduct foot patrols at night. Using tracking skills, they locate boars and cull them using firearms fitted with silencers to minimise disturbance.

A Race Against Time

The entire operation presents a delicate balance. Authorities sealed the park’s wildlife passages to “encapsulate” the infected population. However, it is crucial the animals do not disperse within this perimeter. The choice of dog-free methods directly addresses this risk, as a fleeing boar can easily cover 20 kilometres.

Drones equipped with thermal cameras oversee the operation, allowing authorities to estimate population densities and track animal movements. This data helps target trapping and culling efforts more effectively.

Meanwhile, the traditional hunting season concluded on March 31st. Although the government considered extending the season, hunters will not lead efforts in the core infected zone. Their role was to reduce boar numbers in adjacent areas, but that task will now largely fall to the Agents Rurals.

Officials have warned the public that this will be a slow and arduous process. “We’re talking about months, not weeks,” a Generalitat source admitted, highlighting the difficulty of the task. The operation must also adapt to the boars’ life cycle. Many females are currently pregnant and more visible as they forage for food, making them easier to capture. In the coming weeks, they will give birth and become more elusive before re-emerging with their young.

The culling programme is part of a much larger mission to create a “white zone” with very low boar density around the outbreak, a drastic but necessary step to safeguard an industry vital to the Catalan economy. For now, the park’s trails remain silent, a situation that has left Collserola eerily empty and created significant uncertainty for local restaurants and businesses reliant on park visitors.