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ARCHIVED - Murcia and six other communities appeal wolf hunting ban
These Spanish regions believe the government is putting the welfare of the wolf species ahead of the livelihoods of rural farmers
The decision to include all populations of the Iberian wolf throughout Spain on the list of protected species, thus prohibiting the hunting of this animal, has been met with much opposition, with the autonomous communities of the Region of Murcia, Galicia, Castilla y León, Andalucía, Madrid, Asturius and Cantabria confirming that they intend to file a contentious appeal against the order.
The hunting ban came into force across the country on Wednesday September 22 following publication in the Official State Gazette, and flouters will face hefty fines and even prison sentences if caught.
Those against the ban argue that prohibiting hunting puts livestock and the livelihoods of farmers in rural areas at risk, with the vice president of Cantabria accusing the central government of leaving communities “without tools” to manage the threat of the species.
Although several regions previously had ‘wolf management plans’ in place, the new legislation appears to contradict them and has left farmers and authorities alike in a sense of confusion.
While environmental organisations such as Ecologists in Action have hailed the hunting ban a “historical” decision which further protects the species, the Minister of Economic Development, Sustainability and the Environment of the Basque Country has called for a compromise which protects wolves as well as the interests of farmers, arguing that such sweeping decisions shouldn’t be made by people living far “away from rural life”.
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