The proliferation of rabbits affects crops and plantations in Catalonia. In Lleida, captures rose from 68,677 in 2015 to 245,671 in 2023.
According to Club de Caza, a Catalan huntress recorded hundreds of rabbits feeding near an equestrian centre in the Vallès Occidental region of Barcelona. The images show the extent to which the population of these animals has concentrated in areas where control is complicated.
The rabbits feed on horse feed and nearby plots. After devouring the crops closest to the riding school, they move to other lands within a hunting reserve in search of food, complicating control by hunters.
In Lleida, the situation is even more serious. Unió de Pagesos reports that farmers have had to take on control tasks due to insufficient actions, and demands a sustained response. Hundreds of farmers must process firearm permits and hunting licenses to protect their crops.
According to administrative data from the Generalitat, in the province of Lleida, rabbit captures increased from 68,677 in 2015 to 245,671 in 2023. The impact is greater in the Pla de Lleida regions, where hunting emergency has been declared due to the damage caused by these animals.
The damage affects cereals, fruit trees, vines, and olive trees. Rabbits devour newly sprouted shoots and seeds, forcing many farmers to replant at a significant cost. They also gnaw at the bark, killing young trees, and destroy drip irrigation systems.
For farmers in the Pla de Lleida, the hunting emergency remains in effect, and managing permits and licenses is the immediate step to take action on their farms.
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