Invasive fauna: a silent threat

Did you know that one single species can disrupt an entire ecosystem?

Invasive exotic species are animals or plant that arrive in a habitat that is not their own one and, once established, can cause serious imbalances in the local nature.

Catalonia on alert

In our country, more than 100 invasive species have been detected causing damage to the environment. One of the best known is the Vietnamese Pot-Bellied pig, an animal that has often been kept as a pet and which, when released or escaped, can behave like a wild boar and cause damage to crops, forests and native wildlife, and there’s the chance that it can breed with wild boars in the natural environment.

How to act?

*The management of invasive species is the key to protecting natural ecosystems and ensuring coexistence with native wildlife.

To control their presence, the Catalan Government has authorised capture and management methods such as:

  • Trap cages.
  • Vertical and suspended/drop nets.
  • Teleanaesthesia.

Once captured, the specimens can be:

  • Euthanised in accordance with animal welfare protocols.
  • Transferred to authorised centres for maintenance.