300 French Sheep Enter Andorra's UNESCO Valley to Combat Wildfire Risks

Around 300 non-pregnant female sheep from France's Ariège region crossed into Andorra's Madriu-Perafita-Claror valley via Pas de la Casa on Friday, settling at Borda Sabater to begin a transhumance initiative led by Escaldes-Engordany. The project seeks to clear dense undergrowth in this UNESCO World Heritage site, reducing wildfire risks through targeted grazing while reviving a longstanding pastoral tradition.

Guided by a herder and three border collie dogs trained only for herding, the flock will rotate through sectors including Ràmio, Conangle-la Peguera, Prat Primer, Estany Blau, and Tossa de Braibal before descending to the Plana area by early September. The sheep will occupy each zone last, after cows and horses have grazed, to avoid competition and ensure sustainable pasture use. Their smaller size enables access to thick woodland beyond the reach of larger animals, a critical advantage amid high temperatures, limited road access, and rising fire threats linked to climate change.

Escaldes-Engordany launched the effort in coordination with the Agriculture Department, local herders, and other communes sharing the valley, following contact from an Ariège herder seeking cooler high-altitude pastures. Cònsol major Rosa Gili framed it as a return to the valley's traditional life, where animals once shaped the landscape. "We've wanted sheep here for a long time to clean the undergrowth better," she noted, emphasising their role in forest maintenance during intense heat periods.

Counsellor for Human Resources, Social Action, Environment, and Vall del Madriu Magda Mata pointed to studies assessing the land's carrying capacity, potentially allowing a second flock of around 300 sheep in future years. "The territory can support it so no one takes grass from others," she said. The all-female group includes no males to prevent births on site.

In the busy valley, no guardian dogs accompany the flock, a decision prompted by recent attacks on sheep by unleashed pets elsewhere in Andorra. Herders and ecoguards will provide supervision instead, with visitors urged to leash dogs—using muzzles on risky breeds—and behave responsibly. Insurance covers potential incidents involving the livestock. Gili stressed the need for peaceful coexistence among herders, hikers, animals, and pets.