The island institution activates the hunting emergency for the third consecutive year to control the overpopulation of pigeons and wood pigeons. The measure will allow them to be hunted in designated areas from August 2 to 30.
The Mallorca Council has approved the declaration of a hunting emergency for the third consecutive year to address the overabundance of pigeons and wood pigeons on the island. The measure, which comes into effect this Sunday, August 2, will allow the hunting of these species in designated areas during an extraordinary period that will last until the 30th.
The decision comes from the Island Directorate of Hunting, which is part of the Department of Environment, Rural Affairs and Sports, and responds to complaints from numerous municipalities and the agricultural sector regarding the damage these birds cause both to crops and urban areas.
The second vice president and councillor for Environment, Rural Affairs and Sports, Pedro Bestard, explained that the hunting emergency "allows for an earlier start to the hunting season and the application of exceptional measures to control the overabundance of species, in this case pigeons and wood pigeons, in order to regulate their populations in light of the damage they cause to agriculture, livestock, and urban populations on the island."
The measure represents an advance in the usual hunting calendar, as the general season for wood pigeons would not begin until August 23 and for pigeons until September 3. With this declaration, hunters will be able to act early to reduce the density of these birds.
According to Bestard, "we have adopted this measure for the third consecutive year due to the need to reduce the density of these species and lessen the harm they cause to fields and population centres, responding to requests we receive from many municipalities on the island that suffer the effects of this overpopulation of pigeons."
Authorized hunting calendar
The order establishes a specific calendar for each species and method. In the hunting areas, wood pigeons can be hunted on August 2, 6, 9, 13, 15, 16, and 20, while hunting for this species opens under the general regime on August 23.
For pigeons, the authorized days in the hunting areas are August 2, 6, 9, 13, 15, 16, 20, 23, 27, and 30. From September 3, hunting will be allowed under the general regime using shotguns.
For free lands covered by the Framework Plan, pigeon hunting will be limited to August 27, while wood pigeons will already be permitted under the general regime on those dates.
Hunting can be carried out with shotguns or with shotguns and dogs, according to the usual methods on the island. The measure affects all hunting areas in Mallorca, which must adhere to the specified days and species.
This decision comes amid complaints from residents and municipalities about the proliferation of pigeons in urban areas, such as the Pere Garau neighbourhood in Palma, where residents have long been requesting actions from the City Council to control the pest.
The control of these birds also aims to protect the island's crops, especially cereals and fodder, which suffer significant losses due to pecking and the presence of these birds in large concentrations.
The hunting emergency is an administrative tool that allows for the flexibility of hunting calendars when there is a confirmed overpopulation of a species and the associated damage is significant. In this case, the island institution has determined that the requirements to apply it again are met.
The department reminds that hunting must be conducted within the authorized hunting areas and in compliance with safety and animal welfare regulations. Hunters must possess the corresponding license and adhere to safety distances from urban centres and roads.
The measure will be in effect for the month of August, although if the situation persists, the institution may consider further actions in the coming months. So far, the affected municipalities have shown their support for the initiative, according to the councillor's statements.
As for the practical implications for residents, hunting in designated areas does not involve direct action in urban areas, where pigeons will continue to be a problem that must be addressed with other measures, such as the installation of control systems or limiting food in public spaces.
Therefore, the hunting emergency is presented as a complementary measure to reduce the pressure of these birds in the natural environment and in peri-urban areas, where damage to crops and gardens is more evident.
The organization of hunting days seeks to reconcile hunting activity with the summer period, when there are more people in the countryside. For this reason, specific days have been selected and methods have been limited to avoid conflicts with other uses of rural areas.
Those interested in participating in these hunting days should consult their hunting society or the department itself to learn about the specific conditions of each hunting area and the access rules.
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