The Generalitat de Catalunya has captured 5,277 wild boars in high and low-risk areas of the African swine fever outbreak, with 346 culled in the last week. The operation maintains restrictions in 19 municipalities around Barcelona and Vallès, while new positive cases continue to appear within the most monitored zone.
The tension of the operation lies in this dual evolution. The deployment includes thousands of captures, 331 perimeter closures, and almost two thousand personnel mobilized in one week, but even so, 14 new positive cases have been confirmed in municipalities such as Castellbisbal, Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona, El Papiol, and Esplugues de Llobregat.
New positive cases were concentrated in Castellbisbal and Sant Cugat del Vallès
The 14 new cases detected in the high-risk zone were distributed among seven wild boars in Castellbisbal, three in Sant Cugat del Vallès, two in Barcelona, one in El Papiol, and one in Esplugues de Llobregat.
Since November 28, the operation has analyzed 5,524 wild boars. The accumulated balance shows 320 positives and 4,934 negatives.
In the last week, teams examined 396 samples and the positivity rate was 3.5%. This control is concentrated in a perimeter with mobility limitations for fauna and also access restrictions at various sensitive points.
Among the 19 municipalities with high-risk zone restrictions are Sabadell, Terrassa, Rubí, Sant Cugat del Vallès, Cerdanyola, Montcada i Reixac, and Castellbisbal, in addition to access to the Collserola Natural Park.
The operation maintains 26 traps and 34 PigBrig systems
Currently, 26 traps and 34 PigBrig systems remain active in the high-risk zone. To this deployment are added 331 perimeter closures that restrict the movement of wild boars.
Captures are carried out by Agents Rurals, Mossos d'Esquadra, the Grup Especial de Prevenció d'Incendis Forestals, Tragsa teams, and hunting societies. Outside the restricted zones, control of the species also continues, and since January 1, 26,587 wild boars have already been captured.
This week, 1,954 personnel worked on the operation, with 1,031 assigned to intervention and 923 to security tasks. ADF, Protección Civil, Guardia Civil, canine units, and drones also participate.
The Government advanced hunting to June to reinforce control
The Department of Agriculture coordinates culls in the low-risk area alongside hunters and town councils. Last weekend, it organized seven outings with 118 hunters and 148 dogs.
The Government has approved advancing the open season for wild boar hunting to the month of June to reinforce control of the species and prevent infections. The Generalitat de Catalunya asks to respect the signage and access restrictions, not to feed the animals, and to notify 112 if a dead wild boar or one with symptoms appears.
In the last week, the operation culled 346 wild boars within the high and low-risk zones.