Over 20 animal rights associations and groups have jointly submitted a letter to Malaga City Council vehemently rejecting the council’s proposed plan to cull wild boars using crossbows.
The letter, a response to the council’s announcement in May allocating €15,000 for professional hunters to cull wild boars that have strayed into Malaga’s suburbs, argues that such a measure is unjustified and will inflict unethical and unnecessary suffering on the animals.
According to the groups, there is no widespread public alarm regarding the increased sightings of wild boars in urban areas, nor evidence that the animals pose a direct threat to residents. They emphasized that no attacks by wild boars have been reported.
Critics of the culling proposal contend that using bows and crossbows in proximity to urbanized areas poses significant risks to public safety, potentially causing unintended harm to nearby residents. They further argue that indiscriminate culling could lead to the animals suffering fatal wounds rather than instantaneous death.
Instead of culling, the groups advocate for alternative measures such as immunocontraception, relocation of the animals, better habitat management, and public education. They stress that these methods would effectively manage wild boar populations without causing harm to the animals or exacerbating potential risks to human safety.
The debate comes amidst concerns over the growing wild boar population in Spain, with experts warning that numbers could double by 2025, according to data from the Hunting Resources Research Institute.
The council’s decision on how to proceed with managing the wild boar population in Malaga remains pending amid ongoing discussions and public debate spurred by the animal rights groups’ opposition.
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