A complaint has been submitted to the European Commission following significant damage to a national park in Spain following a ban on hunting. The absence of proper ungulate management has left the Cabañeros National Park in a state of abandonment, causing ecological damage to the fauna and flora of the protected area.

Both European and Spanish legislation stipulates that public administrations are responsible for managing the park and providing the necessary resources to maintain its ecological interests. However, three full hunting seasons have passed, during which no proper management activities have been carried out.

The Association of Affected Parties of Cabañeros National Park has taken a major step by submitting a formal complaint to the European Commission over the ‘poor and negligent management’ of Cabañeros National Park.

The crux of the issue is the absence of a management plan for wild ungulate populations in this important protected area, which is damaging the ecological interests of this European site. This action highlights the urgent need to fix the problem and return the park to a functioning ecosystem.

The lack of ungulate management is resulting in the transmission of certain diseases among species, reducing the amount of food and, thereby, the viability of other types of wildlife. This situation has particularly affected species such as the imperial eagle and the Iberian lynx, whose habitats have been severely compromised, limiting their opportunities for food and shelter.

Before the problems emerged, hunting resulted in a strong incentive to support the maintenance of habitats and species in the park. FACE’s Member in Spain, the Royal Spanish Hunting Federation (RFEC), is actively supporting the actions taken by the action by the Association and is pushing for a resolution to ensure that hunting management returns.