There has long been in place a ban on hunting wolves in Spain as they were an endangered species, but this might now change, thanks to a proposal by regional governments where there are wolf populations.

The decision taken was at a conference were all regional representatives were present together with the Spanish Minister for the Environment and was based on a report carried out by Galicia (PP run) which claimed that the conservation status was favourable, in contrast another report prepared by the Central Government, which advocated for maintaining the current level of protection for the Canis lupus.

Ministry sources rejected the Xunta de Galicia‘s, analysis, which they view as an “alternative proposal,” because it does not align with the methodological and reporting criteria established by the European Commission.

Whilst the Central Government opposed lifting the ban, the majority of regional governments sided with Galicia, except for the Basque Country, Cataluña, and Castilla-La Mancha, which abstained

The situation puts environmentalists in the opposite corner to livestock farmers and hunters. In light of the six-year report’s analysis, Ecologistas en Acción requested to maintain the ban, calling for politics to be left aside, urging attention only to “solid, transparent scientific information” and to leave partisan interests and economic sectors aside.

They were referring to Galicía, which is in the hands of the PP conservatives as well as Asturias, Cantabria, and Castilla y León, which are pushing to lift the ban using several different arguments.

As a result of the conferrence, the report will be sent to the European Commission with conclusions on the conservation level of the wolf, its habitat, and its expansion zones.

Several livestock sector associations, including ASAJA, COAG, and UPA, complained about being “excluded” from the public consultation of the 6-year report, as they had not been “institutionally” notified. They stated that their position was sent to the Directorate-General for Biodiversity without receiving any “acknowledgment of receipt or response.”

Editorial comment: livestock farmers, especially in Galicia, have been plagued by wolf attack on their cattle and sheep. They do receive compensation for the loss or injury to their livestock but they consider that the money received does not reflect the real value of the animal.

Editorial comment: your thoughts, Gazette Readers?

(Galicia, Spain)

Keywords: Wolf Attacks On Cattle, Ban On Hunting, Vote To Lift Ban, Central Government, Xunta De Galicia, Hunters, Livestock Farmers, European Commission

news, galicia, spain, wolf attacks on cattle, ban on hunting, vote to lift ban, central government, xunta de galicia, hunters, livestock farmers, european commission