Gardeners struggle to keep up with the destruction of Mijas’s green spaces each night, and its costing a fortune

Mijas, a picturesque town on Spain's Costa Del Sol, is grappling with a growing problem: wild boars raiding its public green spaces each night, causing extensive damage and costing a significant sum to repair. The Parks and Gardens Department has spent over €210,000 since the beginning of the year on maintenance and protection efforts, according to Councillor Daniel Gomez.

The animals target damp soil, tearing up flowerbeds and snapping irrigation pipes to access water. This damage is distributed evenly across Mijas Pueblo, La Cala, and Las Lagunas, with certain areas, such as the vicinity of La Cala's cultural center, Doña Ermita, and San Manuel church gardens, suffering more than others.

The boars' relentless digging leads to flooded lawns, burst pipes, and ruined plantings. Moreover, their large holes often collect water, causing further issues before repair crews can intervene. The rapid reproduction cycle of the wild boars—typically giving birth to multiple offspring every four months—coupled with the absence of natural predators and the vast expanse of public gardens in Mijas, exacerbates the problem.

To combat this issue, the town employs a dedicated team of gardeners. Four staff members patrol Mijas Pueblo, an additional four guard La Cala, and eight watch over Las Lagunas. They work tirelessly, day and night, to mend the boars' nightly destruction, supplemented by weekend guard shifts. The total cost of these combined efforts, including plants, substrate, irrigation components, water usage, and labor, amounts to a hefty six-figure sum.