Swine fever has already arrived in the city of Barcelona. After the presence of a wild boar carcass infected by the disease was announced on Wednesday, Barcelona is shielding itself. The Catalan capital, just at the gates of spring and Easter, prohibits – starting this Thursday – access to what the Department of Agriculture calls “natural environment” and – therefore – to the entire natural park of the Collserola mountain range from Nou Barris to Les Corts passing through Horta-Guinardó and Sarrià.
The park has 83 square kilometers and its territory spans nine municipalities: Cerdanyola del Vallès, Sant Cugat, Montcada i Reixac, Sant Feliu de Llobregat, Sant Just Desvern, Esplugues de Llobregat, Molins de Rei, El Papiol and Barcelona. In all municipalities, and starting this Thursday also in Barcelona, it is prohibited to set foot on any dirt road, forest area and forest.
The prohibitions
It is prohibited, directly, to “access” the area. Therefore, activities such as running, cycling, walking, excursions… are prohibited throughout the Collserola mountain range, including roads, wooded areas, river beds and streams, meadows, crop fields and parks and paths that are outside the urban area. Except for driving on asphalt roads or shoulders (also paved), absolutely everything is prohibited. Also any hunting activity that is not supervised by the Department of Agriculture, as well as any movement of domestic pigs. Something that does not worry the department since there are no farms in the city of Barcelona.
These limitations attempt to prevent the swine fever virus from being carried on the soles of shoes, vehicle wheels, or even transmitted by other animals such as dogs.
What if it can be done?
The Minister of Agriculture, Óscar Ordeig, has assured that access to homes located in the Collserola area is permitted, as are economic activities, including restaurants in the area. These businesses will have customers inside their establishments, but without taking the traditional walks through the forest. Schools and educational centers in the area will also remain open. The same will happen with the sports facilities in the different mountain neighborhoods of the city where it can be accessed. Predictably, the Tibidabo amusement park will also open its doors and as it is a paved area there will be no problem accessing the site.
The flocks of sheep and goats that are in the Collserola area will be able to remain there, but they will not be able to leave the risk zone to avoid the possible spread of the disease. If any neighbor in the area has pork for self-consumption, they will not be able to move it either.
The Ministry of Agriculture warns citizens that if they find a dead wild boar they should never touch it and should call 112 directly. In addition, they warn that it is prohibited to feed the wild boars, approach them or disperse them.
