The Government Council orders the control of ungulates in Monfragüe

The Governing Council has approved the contracting of the ungulate control service in the Monfragüe National Park for the years 2024 and 2025, due to the high prevalence of tuberculosis detected in wild boars and deer.

The project, awarded to the public company Transformación Agraria SA (TRAGSA) for a value of 347,305 euros, is justified by the results of the studies that evaluate the health status of ungulates in this protected area.

The Monfragüe Master Plan for Use and Management (PRUG) stipulates that control measures, including hunting methods, must be carried out to manage these species.

Following the guidelines of the Directorate General for Health and Food Safety of the European Commission, an action plan for tuberculosis in wild species (PATUBES) has been implemented, which seeks to balance animal health, hunting and biodiversity conservation.

The contract covers the control of the ungulate population through the maintenance of infrastructure such as fencing, the culling of animals, the collection of samples and the management of carcasses.

The Council has also approved a second call for aid for investments in biosecurity, aimed at improving or building cleaning and disinfection centres for livestock transport vehicles and nurseries, financed with 1.37 million euros through the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan.

The grants are divided into two lines: one for investments in centres for cleaning and disinfecting livestock and hunting dog transport vehicles, with an allocation of 938,577.32 euros. The subsidies may reach up to 70,000 euros for existing centres and up to 140,000 euros for new centres.

A management that should belong to the hunters

Some sectors argue that management of the ungulate population should be entrusted to local hunters, who could carry out these tasks efficiently and without incurring the additional costs of hiring specialized companies. In this way, the expenditure of 347,305 euros on a contract with a public company could be avoided, allocating those funds to other priority areas and taking advantage of the knowledge and experience of hunters in the region.