The Department of Climate Action is concerned about the many rabbits in the fields, a pest that complicates the work of farmers. So far, various measures have been tried, but in the face of the large amount of dead animals that can accumulate when decisive action is taken, an innovative option is considered: turning them into livestock feed. It is only a proposal that needs to be studied, but it is one of the possible ways out, according to the director general of Ecosistemes Forestals, Anna Sanitjas.
This idea would obviously only serve to manage the remains of the rabbits that are removed. The Generalitat is also working on measures to reduce the effects of these animals on crops. Among the strategies is the creation of an inventory to detect the points most affected by the damage, especially in irrigation infrastructures. One possibility is to apply aluminum phosphorus as a poison, not in the fields, but in this type of infrastructure.
Councilor Teresa Jordà spoke about the conflict, pointing out that the goal is to reduce the rabbit population by 285,000 and that the Generalitat is waiting for the Ministries of Agriculture and Health to give it authorization to use biocides in the fields . Those responsible for the rural agenda are also studying a shock plan to curb overpopulation, which includes hunting.
Ecologists in Action has asked the Generalitat to get involved to help farmers, but categorically rejects the use of poisons such as aluminum phosphorus. His reflection is that this is a fundamental problem for which it is necessary to look for solutions that are not short-term. And the poison can harm birds like the eagle owl and golden eagle, which eat rabbits.
Yesterday, around 1,200 tractors paraded through the center of Lleida in a protest in which farmers demanded urgent measures to put an end to the plague of rabbits. Called by the platform Pagesos o Conills, the demonstration had the support of the agricultural union Union of Farmers, Young Farmers and Ranchers of Catalonia (JARC), Asaja and the Federation of Agrarian Cooperatives of Catalonia (FCAC).
Moments of tension
The protesters, who see their crops in danger, headed with their tractors towards the headquarters of the Territorial Services of the Department of Climate Action, where there were moments of tension when some of the farmers threw live rabbits inside of the building