541. How Spanish farmers hunting millions of wild boars
Millions of invasive wild boars cause damage to the Spanish ecosystem. Each year, the total area of land eroded by wild boars accounts for 30% of the country. What measures are used to prevent millions of wild boars from affecting the ecosystem? Please join me in watching the video:
According to the 2021 report by the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment, damage caused by wild boars can reach up to 400 million USD. The average cost to restore 2.5 acres of eroded land in Spain ranges from 2,080 USD to 5,200 USD. The Mediterranean forests in eastern and southern Spain are among the areas most heavily affected by soil erosion caused by wild boars. Wild boars have the habit of rooting in the soil for food, creating holes and deep trenches on the ground. This activity increases the rate of water runoff, and they destroy vegetation, leading to severe soil erosion.
So in the face of a serious wild boar invasion, what measures did Spanish hunters use to deal with them? According to the Spanish Hunting Law, the General Hunting Permit is the most common type, allowing Spanish citizens to hunt wild boars during the general hunting season, which typically runs from October to February of the following year. This permit allows hunters to hunt wild boars in most areas of Spain, except for certain areas in Extremadura where hunting is prohibited due to the risk of forest fires. The permit specifies that hunters are allowed to use guns to hunt wild boars, but they can only hunt a maximum of 50-100 wild boars per week. If hunters exceed the permitted number of wild boars, they will face administrative penalties and have their hunting permits revoked.
Wild boars tend to travel in herds to find food during the winter due to scarce resources, so this is a good time to hunt wild boars. In 2022, the number of wild boar in Spain decreased, with about 70,000 wild boar hunted, a decrease of 15% compared to 2021. This decrease has shown the effectiveness of targeted hunting in these winter months when wild boars are concentrated and more accessible.
During wild boar hunting, Spanish hunters should prepare full protective equipment. In particular, they need to wear orange clothes to easily distinguish them from their surroundings, helping to increase safety. While hunting, hunters should keep a safe distance from teammates, about 200-300 feet, to avoid unwanted accidents. Hunting licenses also specify the distance of the hunting area from residential areas, usually requiring at least 500 feet to not cause loud noise to the community.
After hunting wild boar, according to the regulations in the license in Spain, hunters must report the number of wild boar hunted to local authorities. This report helps monitor and manage wild boar populations and protect ecosystems. It also allows authorities to evaluate the effectiveness of gun measures and adjust regulations when necessary. The license states in Section 6 that if hunters violate this requirement, they will face an administrative fine of up to $2,000.
Hunters who participate in wild boar hunting need to have certain professional skills to be allowed to participate. In particular, they need to have skills in using rifles. Hunters must pass a shooting test in which they must demonstrate their ability to use a rifle at a distance of 100 feet before being allowed to hunt. This training and testing process usually lasts about 2-3 months, including both theory and practice, to ensure hunters have enough skills and are safe during the hunting process.
The use of hunting dogs during hunting has helped Spanish hunters a lot in hunting wild boar. Hunting dogs have extremely sharp sniffing and tracking abilities, helping to locate wild boars more quickly and effectively. They also assist in chasing and controlling wild boars, minimizing danger to hunters. According to the regulations in the license, each time a wild boar hunt is carried out, the hunter is allowed to bring a maximum of 3-5 hunting dogs.
When hunting on snow-covered winter days, hunters can easily find wild boar hiding places thanks to their footprints clearly visible on the snow. This shortens the travel time of hunters in search of wild boars. If the footprints are clear, the hunter can determine that a wild boar has just passed through the area.
When moving vehicles into areas deep inside the hunting area on snowy terrain, hunters will encounter many difficulties. Driving a car in the snow requires a hunter's driving skills and experience, and an understanding of Spain's snow-covered mountainous terrain. Drivers need to travel at a speed of 18 mph.
When hunting in mountainous terrain and dense forests, hunters face rough terrain that obscures visibility, increasing the risk of accidents. To ensure safety, they need to keep their distance from teammates, not shoot without a clear line of sight, and not go alone.
Although using guns to hunt wild boars is considered an effective method in controlling the population and protecting the ecosystem, there are opposing opinions that do not support it. Some people believe this could pose a danger near residential areas, worrying about the risk of shooting accidents and affecting the habitat of other species. Another concern is that the use of guns could create an unsafe hunting environment for people, especially when there is not strict supervision and control.
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