The Calpe Town Council, through the specialised company Gesfauna, has begun this week to control the groups of wild boar in the Las Salinas area. Gesfauna is a company with a social and environmental purpose that offers control services for invasive species, in this case, large mammals in security zones of the urban centre.
A few weeks ago, the company began a preliminary study to track these mammals in order to draw up a census. Subsequently, a capture plan was implemented using a system that is the first of its kind in Spain, whereby the animals are captured in a suspended cage that allows selective captures and is controlled by remote video surveillance.
Once in the cages, the wild boars have been killed using a procedure that avoids animal suffering and under veterinary control. This action involves the participation of a specialised professional team consisting of environmental technicians and a veterinarian who are knowledgeable about the target species and its habits. In addition, the company has its own legal department specialising in environmental matters. Animal suffering has been avoided throughout this operation.
The whole procedure has been authorised by the relevant authorities. Nine wild boars were shot, all of them adults, two males and seven females. It should be noted that translocation, that is, moving species from one place where they live to another, is prohibited in Spain and in the European Union, with exceptions for animals from hunting farms that meet health requirements, as is the case with farms.
The local police and the Calpe civil protection service have collaborated in this initiative. The council would like to emphasise that this action prevents traffic accidents, including attacks on people, as several cases have already been recorded in the municipality, and at the same time prevents damage to the environment or the transmission of diseases.