The legal shielding of the wolf species by the Government - officially made effective this Tuesday with the publication of the Order that modifies the List of Wild Species in the Special Protection Regime (Lespre) - has caused a wave of criticism from of farmers, hunters and also of those autonomous communities where this animal has a greater number of specimens.
"We regret that the allegations of the agricultural sector have been ignored," said
Pedro Barato, president of Asaja Nacional
, who also recalled the 2020 records, where
more than 15,000 attacks by wolves
against livestock
were recorded
with
losses exceeding 9 '5 million euros
".
Luis Planas, the Minister of Agriculture
, assured yesterday that he supported the Order, although in February he publicly distanced himself from the initiative of his fellow cabinet member,
Teresa Ribera, the head of the Ecological Transition portfolio
.
Then, Planas assured: "As a minister, I do not agree and I share the concern of the farmers and I am at their side."
This Tuesday, he backed away.
Although the official studies are out of date (the last one is from 2014), it is estimated that in Spain, with an increasing census,
there are between 2000 and 2,500 specimens, grouped in 297 herds that are distributed almost in their entirety -more 95% - on the northwestern corniche of the peninsula
. All of them, without exception, will cease to be a hunting species, that is, it will
no longer be possible to hunt or in legitimate defense for livestock,
as all populations of Iberian wolf (Canis Lupus) in Spain are protected. Several autonomous communities had already been warning that they were going to directly oppose the measure. This is the case of
Castilla y León
, where more species exist, together with
Galicia
,
Asturias
and
Cantabria
. All have confirmed that they will
appeal to the National Court
the decision of the Government, which takes effect from this Wednesday. Precisely, these autonomous communities located north of the Duero are the ones that most coexist with wolves in their territories and had already voted at the beginning of the year against the proposal. Specifically, in Castilla y León a maximum approved hunting quota of
113 specimens
was allowed in the 2020/2021 season
(the same as in the previous one), although the actual catches were finally
62 (55%)
. The total number of reported attacks in this region in
2019 amounted to 2,579 affecting 3,774 head of cattle
. Losses exceeded
4,250,000 euros.
The measure approved without consensus raised blisters unanimously, above ideologies and interests, in the entire agrarian sector in unison. The agrarian organizations
Asaja, COAG and UPA
accused the Government of condemning livestock to "extinction". In a joint statement, the three organizations criticized that the Executive has "breached" its commitment to them and has taken an "urban and irresponsible measure, which will cause pain and economic losses in rural areas."
The ranchers called for the resignation of the Minister for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Teresa Ribera, for taking a decision in her opinion "biased and ideological, based on the falsehood that the wolf is threatened in Spain." For the agrarian organizations, the minister and her team have "failed on their word", since "they promised to negotiate the management protocol of the species before adopting that measure.
In addition, they announced that they
are preparing mobilizations
in all the affected areas: "The protection of the wolf is a measure taken from the offices and not from the villages. Anyone who lives in rural areas and lives with the wolf knows that the best management is not the total protection ", they indicated, reason why they foresee that the attacks to the cattle, the losses and the depopulation increase:" We will not allow that they condemn us to extinction. We will work because in the field there are still cows, goats, sheep, horses and others. animals. And not only wolves ", have highlighted the agrarian organizations.
For its part, the
Royal Spanish Hunting Federation
announced that it is going to file a Contentious-Administrative Appeal before the Chamber of the National Court against said Order, "since there are no scientific criteria, updated censuses or a conservation and management strategy that endorse the need for this special protection ". From this federation they accuse the Government of eliminating the different wolf management plans that "are allowing the recovery of their populations and their coexistence with extensive livestock" for simple anti-hunting ideology.
In addition, they recall that
the protection of the species that has been applied since 1992 to the south of the Duero
"has not worked since, far from allowing the populations to grow, they have practically disappeared".
For the president of the
RFEC, Manuel Gallardo
, "this is one more chapter of the roadmap that the Ministry of Ecological Transition has to try to end hunting in our country" and blames the Government, "once again" that put "the wishes of ecologists and living room animals before the development of the rural world, which will be sentenced in the very near future if the Government continues with its pseudo-ecological and anti-hunting drift."
Luis Planas
For his part, the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food (MAPA), Luis Planas, assured this Tuesday that he supports the order but recalls that "farmers are often afraid" of this great predator, although he has clarified that although The initiative is from the Ministry of Ecological Transition, in the Executive they are all "together" in making decisions: "Beyond the legal norms, farmers are often afraid (of the wolf), and I understand it and it is reason of concern. We have all together to show the farmers that society is with them and that it is also willing to defend their legitimate interests. "
According to the data provided in February by the minister himself,
last year there were a total of 592 incidents related to the wolf in Spain
, which resulted in
compensation from Agroseguro worth 252,000 euros
, a figure estimated as "ridiculous" for agricultural organizations.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
Know more
Spain
Luis Planas
Teresa Ribera
Castile and Leon
National audience
Lion
TerrorismThe victims explode: "How do the Government and the Prosecutor's Office allow a tribute to ETA Parot?"
AgricultureEcosquemas, the last battle of farmers against the new PAC of Luis Planas
Holidays 2021 work calendar: public holidays and bridges
See links of interest
The Palm
Last News
Work calendar
Home THE WORLD TODAY
Master Investigation Journalism
Series
Getafe - Atlético de Madrid, live
Athletic Club - Rayo Vallecano
Levante - Celta de Vigo