Hunting - Ecology

Official statistics confirm that hunting kills about 25 million animals in Spain each year. The loss of biodiversity caused by the following list of “collateral damage” should also be added to this figure. Poaching, the (officially authorised) releasing or repopulation of certain species, the introduction of exotic species (which end up as invaders and eliminating native species), the construction of fences and other structures which cause population imbalance of some species and the ecosystems they inhabit, river pollution from the remains of lead littering the countryside of the state and many more similar problems. Hunting leaves many victims in its wake.

It should also be pointed out that hunting has caused and causes the death of other emblematic and even protected species, such as the brown bear, the Iberian Lynx or the wolf. These creatures are either directly eliminated (in some cases completely, as is the case for the wolf in Andalusia), because it is considered a competitive predator to hunters, or their resources are reduced in such a way that they can no longer feed themselves enough to survive.

In Catalonia

• We are part of the coalition La veritat de la cacera that aims to identify and regulate the risks represented by hunting activity.
• We lobby the public administration about anything regarding hunting.
• We negotiate and meet with the competent authorities to propose alternatives the current land management methods.
• We look into the experiences of other countries and propose ethical alternatives to population management.
• We collaborate with other institutions to promote the application of ethical hunting measures.
• We are working towards changing the law which establishes the means of control of recreational hunting.
• We publish articles and reports on hunting and its many consequences.
• We offer advice to those Catalan town councils which approach us.
• We participate in awareness campaigns against hunting.

• Get informed through La veritat de la cacera of the real implications of hunting for people, animals and the environment.
• Help us by sharing the information and publicity we put out with your contacts on social media.
• Write to your mayor or your town council, letting them know how you feel about hunts being held in the local area.
• If you have been the victim of any kind of accident caused either directly or indirectly by hunting, report it to the authorities.
• If you work for a town council in Catalonia and you need information in order to get ethical population management projects up and running, get in touch with us.