This Europe: Environmentalists tilt their lances at boar hunting in Andalusia
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Inspired by Britain's anti-hunting campaign, Spanish environmentalists are calling for a ban on a similarly ancient and controversial sport in Spain's Coto Doñana national park: the lancing of wild boar.
Every summer groups of up to 10 hunters set off on horseback from the south-western town of Huelva to chase wild boar across the flatlands of the national park, then impale the creatures with their lances. Last Sunday was the final chance for sportsmen to thrash across marshlands in pursuit of porcine prey before autumn rains make the going too soggy.
"Like fox hunting, it's a cruel, barbaric, unnecessary and anachronistic sport. The creatures die a slow and painful death," said Jauquin Reina, Andalusia's spokesman for the environmental pressure group Ecologists in Action yesterday.
"The worst thing is that this happens in Europe's most famous national park, dedicated to conservation of living creatures. Hunting should be banned here on principle."
Park authorities say hunting keeps the wild boar population under control and is a cultural tradition unique to the region. Mr Reina dismisses that argument. "If the animals have to be culled, then fine: draw up a plan and do it scientifically. Don't let it be done by weekend sportsmen waving lances for fun."
Mr Reina concedes that the practice of lanceo may date back centuries and that unlike many bizarre Spanish animal-baiting practices it probably originated out of necessity when impoverished countryfolk hunted game for food. "But you can't even eat these wild boar because most of them are diseased with tuberculosis or mange," he said.
Alberto Ruiz Larramendi, a director of the Coto Doñana park, said: "Up to 95 wild boar have to be sacrificed every year because of outbreaks of TB." Once hunted down, the animals were analysed then incinerated, Mr Larramendi said, adding that hunting was a cultural feature of the park.
Mr Reina wants a debate to be opened in Spain like that around fox hunting in Britain. Ecologists in Action also want a specific ban on boar hunting to be included in a forthcoming regional law on the protection of native flora and fauna in Andalusia.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments