First fine in Mijas, of 250 euros, to a resident for feeding wild boars

Feeding wild boars in urban areas is now beginning to be punished in Mijas. The Local Police have imposed the first fine on a resident for violating the municipal ordinance, which prohibits feeding stray or abandoned animals, as well as any others, in public spaces. The fine for breaking the rule, stated in article 86.2, is 250 euros.

Municipal sources explained to this newspaper that, with this pioneering sanction, they intend to enforce the municipal ordinance. The measure aims to dissuade the public from artificially feeding wild pigs to curb their overpopulation.

In the city of Málaga, feeding stray or abandoned animals in public spaces is also penalized. Article 19 of the Ordinance for the Guarantee of Civic Coexistence and the Protection of Urban Space specifies that, "for reasons of public health and environmental protection, feeding stray or abandoned animals and any others, especially urban pigeons, in public spaces is prohibited", as well as in any other places, such as vacant lots or buildings, when, in the latter case, it could turn them into unsanitary hotspots or generate dirt or nuisance".

The exponential growth of the population of hybrids between wild boar and farm pig is almost daily observable in Málaga, where the City Council has already taken measures to keep them away from the city. From the use of odors and sounds that bother them to tranquilizing darts. The government team responds in this way after last Thursday a strong police operation was deployed to capture a feral pig spotted in the Guadalmedina area at La Goleta. The animal was not captured in the end, but the case reopened the debate on what measures to implement to keep them away from the city.

The proposed actions will have a preventive nature and the use of the tranquilizing dart will only be resorted to "if these already used measures are insufficient for the control of the animal", as detailed then by the City Council, whose purpose is to reduce the presence of wild boars and, predominantly, feral pigs in urban areas close to forested spaces of the districts of Este, Ciudad Jardín, and Churriana in search of water and food.

The City Council has already created a network of watering places at various points to try to dissuade the animals from approaching the urban center, so that they could hydrate in these spaces without the need to descend through the stream beds, which is the path they use to approach urban areas, using their vegetation cover for protection and refuge. These drinking spots are enabled at various points in Churriana, the headwaters of the Guadalmedina River, Cerrado, Toquero, and Monte San Antón.

"The ideas for control also involve public cooperation. Things like feeding them or leaving trash accumulated at certain points attract wild boars to urban areas," explained a few days ago the councilor for the Economy and Finance area, Carlos Conde.