Lorraine Williamson
Spain’s rugged mountains are once again echoing with predator sounds. Brown bears roam the Cantabrian ranges in growing numbers, while Iberian wolves are expanding south. For conservationists, these are signs of ecological recovery. For livestock farmers, they represent an escalating crisis that threatens animals, income, and the fragile fabric of rural life.
Agricultural unions Asaja, COAG, and UPA warn that the government’s predator-friendly policies have tilted the balance too far. “They protect the predators but forget the people who live and work here,” the groups said in a joint statement. Attacks on sheep, goats, and cattle are increasing across Castilla y León, Asturias, and Cantabria, leaving farmers angry and fearful for their livelihoods.
Rising attacks and slow compensation
Recent cases of sheep and cattle maulings have prompted the regional government of Castilla y León to launch genetic tests to confirm whether a bear is responsible. Traps have been set to identify the animal and, if necessary, remove it. Conservation group Fundación Oso Pardo backs predator protection but admits that compensation must be paid more quickly if coexistence is viable. Farmers say payments are slow and often fail to cover the true cost of lost animals and disrupted herds.
Wolves return—and tensions grow
Spain’s latest census counts 333 wolf packs, a 36% rise since 2014. Despite this recovery, the species is still officially classed as having an “unfavourable” conservation status under European and Spanish law, keeping it under strict protection. Some regions have cautiously authorised limited hunting to curb attacks, a move welcomed by farmers but condemned by ecologists as a dangerous setback.
Policy clash between ecology and economy
At the centre of the dispute is Spain’s Ministry for Ecological Transition, led by Teresa Ribera, which champions predator protection and regional wildlife corridors. Farmers accuse the ministry of pursuing “ideological” policies that prioritise biodiversity over the realities of rural livelihoods. Legal experts warn that European conservation rules are colliding with property rights, creating a political and legal minefield.
Brown bear born Aragón for first time in half a century
Demand for dialogue
Farmers’ unions are calling for urgent talks between government, ecologists, and rural communities to find common ground. Without meaningful dialogue and faster compensation, they warn, the conflict risks deepening—and with it the survival of traditional livestock farming in some of Spain’s most remote areas.
Spain’s success in bringing back wolves and bears is a conservation triumph. But unless policymakers can balance predator protection with the economic survival of rural families, the cost of that success may be borne by the very communities that keep Spain’s countryside alive.
Source: Levante