Spain: Reduction of wild boar populations through vaccination

The wild boar population of Vallès Occidental in Catalonia has decreased by more than 400 individuals in one year thanks to the application of the vaccine.

This is the result achieved so far by a project supported by the Commission for the Protection of Animal Rights (CPDA) of the Bar Associations of Catalonia and the Balearic Islands, which also involves the Department of Animal Health and Anatomy of the United Nations. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of this vaccine on urban and peri-urban wild boars in several municipalities in Vallès Occidental.

The project coordinators confirm that the vaccine was effective in all animals that received it, and consequently 400 individuals were not born within one year. This number corresponds to the animals killed by hobby hunters in the region the previous year.

Furthermore, the scientists assert that hunting is not an effective means of reducing wild boar populations, but rather causes a change in the ecosystem and promotes an increase in the wild boar population.This leads to the conclusion that the removal of individuals of a species is not an effective method of controlling it, and ultimately leads to an increase in the medium term.

Beyond the effectiveness of the method, the project coordinators point out that vaccination is associated with considerably lower costs in the long term and prevents road accidents that can occur when animals flee from hunters' rifles.

Just as has been the case with the control of stray cats through sterilisation or contraceptive feed for urban pigeons, the contraceptive vaccine now applied to wild boars has proven to be a highly effective and ethical method.

Wildlife Biology

When hunting pressure is high, the fertility rate of wild boars is significantly greater than in areas where little hunting takes place. Furthermore, intensive hunting causes sexual maturity to occur notably earlier — before the end of the first year of life — meaning that even young sows can become pregnant. The average weight of wild boars at first reproduction is also lower under high hunting pressure. In areas where few hobby hunters are active, wild boar reproduction rates are considerably lower, and sexual maturity in sows occurs later and only at a higher average weight.

Finally, the scientists recall that under Catalonia's animal welfare law, «ethical» methods for managing animal populations are an obligation of public authorities. In light of this, the CPDA of the Catalonia Bar Association proposes that the Barcelona City Council and the Ministry of Agriculture adopt the contraceptive vaccine method as a general approach to controlling the exploding wild boar populations.

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