The Generalitat Valenciana Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development, Climate Emergency and Ecological Transition is leading an initiative to control wild boar and sheep populations across five protected natural areas. The aim is to minimize the impact of these species on other threatened wildlife and on human activities within these landscapes.
Funded with European support, the project targets the conservation of endangered species in Marjal de Pego-Oliva, El Prat de Cabanes-Torreblanca, Desert de les Palmes, Font Roja, and Serra de Mariola, spanning 6,200 protected hectares.
The project’s objectives include lowering the density of wild boar and sheep populations, reducing their pressure on vulnerable flora and fauna, improving existing data on the species involved, fostering cooperation among users and the Administration, and promoting best practices in management.
In the areas where the program operates, wild boar populations are higher than typical levels, while sheep are considered invasive in protected reserves under national and regional rules, with management guidelines oriented toward eradication.
wild boar example pixabay
The excessive presence of these animals affects threatened plant species, bird nests, and hare populations that serve as prey for other endangered species.
The project will run for 24 months, with a budget of 700,000 euros, and is coordinated by the Vaersa Group. In the first phase, necessary sampling will assess the status of wild boar and sheep, as well as flora and fauna species endangered by the abundance of these mammals. After gathering data, technical teams will recommend measures to reduce the populations and will consult with stakeholders such as municipal councils, hunters, environmental groups, and farmers to gather input. It should be noted that monitoring agricultural damage or capturing wild boar in protected areas requires landowner permission.
In the second phase, the measures identified in the first phase will be implemented. This effort aims to improve regional management and includes a strong research component to better understand the impact of increasingly abundant species on those that are scarcer.
Sheep and goats affecting the environment
The Barbary sheep, a hardy mountain breed, has become a notable concern in Alicante. In recent years these animals have descended from the mountains, feeding on crops and causing significant economic losses for farmers. Estimates suggest dozens of clans, ranging from 20 to 40 animals each, may be present in mountain areas, with a total potentially reaching around five hundred individuals. Local farmers have called for hunting as a control measure, while authorities have previously deployed feeding stations in mountain regions, similar to approaches used for deer and bears in other areas.
There have been introductions of Barbary sheep in certain provinces, including historical movements from the Sierra de Espuña in Murcia, where this population was established decades ago in a way that complicates native ecosystems. Legislation governing Barbary sheep has shifted over time, with hunting restrictions evolving. In 2014, plans were drafted to classify Barbary sheep as a hunting species due to agricultural damage and impacts on mountain goats, but later national measures exempted Barbary sheep from hunting in 2018, allowing hunting only in specific zones.
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Environment department contact details: [redacted]