Andorran Hunter Mauled by Wounded Wild Boar in Catalonia Hunt

A 62-year-old Andorran hunter sustained a serious open wound to his right leg, from knee to ankle, after a 50- to 60-kilogram wild boar he had shot charged him during a group drive hunt near Abella de la Conca in Catalonia's Pallars Jussà region.

The attack occurred on Sunday around 11:47 a.m. during a batuda. The animal, wounded by the hunter's shot, took cover under a trunk in thick vegetation. As the man approached to dispatch it, the boar lunged suddenly with great force, catching him off guard. He stayed conscious and received prompt first aid from fellow hunters, who called emergency services just before noon.

Josep Maria Cabanes, president of the Andorran Hunting and Fishing Federation (FACIP), called the incident a known but infrequent risk in hunting. Wounded boars often corner themselves and strike without warning, he said, attributing the event to possible overconfidence when dealing with injured animals. "It happens rarely, but the risk is there," Cabanes noted, adding that the boar's medium size made for a more favorable outcome. Joan Morgo, president of the local hunters' society and on site, confirmed the boar attacked right after the shot.

Generalitat firefighters responded with a truck carrying the Special Actions Group (GRAE) and a helicopter to the remote spot near the L-511 road. Teams reached the victim by vehicle and on foot, stabilized his condition, and extracted him via heliguatge without a stretcher. The helicopter transported him to La Seu d'Urgell's airport, where a Servei d'Emergències Mèdiques (SEM) ambulance transferred him to Alt Urgell hospital for care.

Cabanes credited the swift emergency response for limiting the damage and highlighted hunting's role in managing wild boar numbers across Andorra and Catalonia. These animals, which can weigh up to 110 kilograms or more in exceptional cases, now breed more frequently, lose their fear of people, raid crops, and threaten eggs and young of protected species. Their presence has grown in both mountain areas and urban fringes. Without younger hunters stepping in for an aging population, he warned, controlling their expansion will prove increasingly difficult. Participants in the hunt stressed the need to follow standard safety protocols in such activities.