Several animals including an adult wolf have been killed by snares at Spanish hunting reserve

Several animals including an adult wolf have been killed by snares in a hunting reserve in Zamora, Spain.

Several animals including an adult wolf have been killed by snares in Zamora, the capital of the province of Zamora in the Castile and Leon region of northwest Spain.

Environmental staff from the Zamora Regional Government have found several species of wildlife dead in the Sierra de la Culebra Regional Hunting Reserve, specifically in the municipality of Manzanal de Arriba, as a result of the use of wire snares, as reported by La Opinion de Zamora.

Following an investigation, a total of 10 unrestrained snares were found, already mounted and strategically distributed, using salt as a means to attract the animals. Remains of several animals were found including  an adult wolf, a male deer and a doe.

The environmental agents and wardens of the Regional Board, in collaboration with the Guardia Civil, are carrying out investigations and monitoring the hunting grounds after finding the remains of several wild animals in the last days of March. The incident has been classified as a criminal offence and the snares found were seized. The Iberian wolf has been transferred to the Wild Animal Recovery Centre in Valladolid for a post-mortem.

These means, prohibited by hunting and environmental protection regulations, can be a serious administrative offence according to Law 42/2007, of 13 December, on Natural Heritage and Biodiversity, with penalties that can exceed 200,000 euros and can even be subject to criminal proceedings with prison sentences.

Snares cause slow and painful death to the animals trapped due to the serious wounds they cause. Environmental agents, environmental wardens and members of SEPRONA (Spain’s Nature Protection agency) carry out daily surveillance and monitoring tasks to eradicate these illegal practices.

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