Junta de Andalucía allows exceptional hunting of wild rabbits as numbers soar

Authorities in the Andalucía region of southern Spain are concerned not only about the excessive population of wild boar and feral pigs in the region. Alameda, Antequera, Archidona, Campillos, Cuevas Bajas, Cuevas de San Marcos, Fuente de Piedra, Humilladero, Mollina, Sierra de Yeguas, Teba, Villanueva de Algaidas, Villanueva de la Concepción and Villanueva de Tapia are the 14 municipalities in Malaga province where environmental authorities have decreed an overpopulation of wild rabbits.

The general directorate for forestry policy and biodiversity has issued a resolution adopting exceptional hunting measures aimed at controlling wild rabbit (oryctolagus cuniculus) populations in various municipalities in the provinces of Granada, Jaén, Malaga and Seville. The decision comes in response to significant damage to agricultural crops caused by abnormally high concentrations of this species in certain areas.

"The wild rabbit, despite being a key species in Mediterranean ecosystems and a vital food resource for endangered species such as the Iberian lynx and for large birds of prey, has locally reached densities that seriously compromise agricultural productivity," said the Junta de Andalucía regional government.

Agriculture is not the only sector affected by this issue. Damage can even seriously affect transport infrastructure such as railway tracks. For this reason, railway infrastructure operator Adif has allocated funds for the control of the environment as well.

The measure will only affect those hunting grounds that have a technical hunting plan in force that specifically provides for rabbit damage control and that are located within the municipalities listed in the resolution, which include Loja, Íllora, Montefrío, Úbeda, Jaén, Antequera, Campillos, Sevilla, Morón de la Frontera and Écija, among many others.

Among the actions planned, live capture using ferrets and nets is permitted throughout the 2025/2026 hunting season. In certain particularly sensitive areas this will be the only technique permitted, as it is considered the least invasive.

At the same time, the use of firearms is authorised for the period from 24 November 2025 to 28 February 2026, on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays only. Exceptionally, and at the request of the owners of the hunting grounds, the territorial delegations may extend this period, if the situation so requires. The maximum number of hunters per day is limited to five hunters per 250 hectares, with the possibility of a proportional increase.

The use of birds of prey will also be permitted on a daily basis during the same period, without restrictions as to the type of bird used. During the general rabbit hunting period, from 10 August to 23 November 2025, the conditions laid down in the technical hunting plans and in the regional regulations in force will continue to apply, with the sole exception that falconry will be permitted every day.

As a complementary measure, there is the possibility of authorising the control of hunting predators such as the fox, given its status as an opportunistic species and the imbalance caused by the overabundance of rabbits in certain hunting grounds. This action will be assessed on a case-by-case basis to avoid negative impacts on other species, such as the Iberian hare.

In order to apply any of these measures, the owners of the land must give at least ten working days' notice to the corresponding territorial delegation of their intention to carry out control actions.

As for the destination of the captured specimens, they may be used for self-consumption, transferred to areas of the game reserve far from the damaged areas or, with express authorisation, used for restocking in other game reserves. In the latter case, the traceability and animal health requirements established by regional and state regulations must be complied with, including the subsequent communication of the result of restocking and the delivery of health documentation.