Wolf Hunt Auction Zamora

[Spanish Footsteps]

Hola

I read last week in the Herald newspaper a disturbing article about a legal wolf hunt auction in Zamora.  The auction was in Villardeciervos and it raised 31.300 euros.  The hunt was in the Sierra de la Culebra and the prices of each wolf was as follows, 11.000, 11.500 and 8.800.  Last year each wolf raised 9.000 euros, seems like they are paying more for the 'pleasure' of killing a wolf.

Couldn't believe it is an annual event.

alfredo

[Clive]

Hi Alfredo,

It's a hard one this but I would rather see correctly organised hunts like this than the illegal poaching and mindless indiscriminate killing of all species

Having been to the Sierra de Culebra and viewed wolf there I am aware that it is in fact the correct management of a regional hunting area that has made the wolf survive. I believe that the Sierra de Culebra has the highest concentration of wolf in Iberia.

Like I said, it's a difficult subject but I believe that managed hunting is essential to an area in order to protect it and the species that reside there.

What do you all think?

Clive

[Spanish Footsteps]

Thats fine needing to cull, but to turn it into a celebration hunt, with auction and charge 10,000 euros a head, is that not tempting to illegal hunters?
In Australia, Dingoes are protected on Fraser Island, but when its time to cull, it is not made public for the world to pay and participate.

There was no mention of money going to charity or for the benefit of anything of importance.  I just don't see how we can teach people to protect and then let them pay to eliminate.

[lisa]

It's distasteful isn't it? I've found this from La Opinión de Zamora;
José Manuel Soto, responsable de Medio Ambiente de la COAG y vecino de la Sierra de la Culebra, explicaba tras la subasta cómo se gestiona el dinero recaudado. «Se reparte entre los 41 núcleos de población propietarios de la Reserva. Soto no teme que la caza termine con la reserva de la Sierra de la Culebra, ya que «hay más de 67.000 hectáreas y mucha fauna». «Lo único que exigimos es que haya un control, porque entendemos que hay que sacar un beneficio, pero sin olvidar a los agricultores y ganaderos, que son los que de verdad sufren las consecuencias».
This is the 12th year of running the bidding. I read somewhere else (but have lost it) that the money is shared among the land owners, with the largest getting the most, including ayuntamientos and private individuals. Don't know if or how it is managed.
I think the more the area can promote ecotourism through its wildlife, the less they'll rely on trophy hunters. Silly, idealistic, little me.

[Clive]

Absolutely distasteful I agree Lisa and I see your points Alfredo but how do we convince these big landowners to turn over to eco type nature ventures when they always turn around and with that un beatable argument that The Sierra de Culebra has the largest population of wolves because of their hunting management process...

Its a hard one that's for sure....