The Catalan donkey, an ally in preventing forest fires

The Catalan donkey, a native and endangered breed, is proving itself to be a useful ally in forest fire prevention tasks this summer. 

Some donkeys have been used to keep the undergrowth of part of the land in Rupit clean, where Xavier Barceló and Teresa Fainé are the owners of a 300-hectare estate where they raise Catalan donkeys. 

The breed is also a national symbol of Catalonia, and the Barcelona Provincial Council will soon launch a new pilot project for the donkeys to clear undergrowth in other areas.

As well as helping prevent forest fires, such an initiative will also help keep the donkey breed from extinction. 

In April, the Barcelona Metropolitan Area subcontracted a flock of sheep for similar tasks.

The pilot test will begin next year to introduce this animal into urban areas in the metropolitan area to help keep the protection strips clean.

The deputy for Fire Prevention and Forest Management, Jordi Fàbrega, explained to the Catalan News Agency that these areas are the "most expensive" to clear, and said the donkey can be "crucial" in such tasks.

The Barcelona Provincial Council will allocate €15,000 this year to associations of forest owners so that they can begin introducing the Catalan donkey into the cleaning of undergrowth on private properties.

"There are more than 1,500 urban areas with a risk of fire, and this animal can be crucial for the future of the country," Fàbrega points out.

According to Barceló, once the forest has been cleared, the option of introducing animals that eat the bushes that grow there is more viable than hiring a cleaning brigade to keep the forest "in check."

He also explains that they opted for donkeys because they are easy to control and their characteristics make them "ideal" for this job. "They are a large animal that has teeth on top and bottom and that opens paths. They are like a mower, unlike ruminant animals like sheep or cows", he highlights.

Forest fires

Catalonia frequently faces forest fires, which threaten ecosystems, wildlife and communities. This situation has been aggravated in recent years by climate change, drought and human activity, and throughout the summer months, fire risk is at its peak.

On this week’s podcast, we’ll be finding out how Catalonia’s firefighters and forest rangers are preparing emergency response measures and prevention strategies incorporating innovative technologies, as well as sharing their expertise by training international teams.

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