The largest university campus in Catalonia, the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), is facing the first consequences of an increase in confirmed cases of swine fever, which continues until the 15th. Since then, students have begun receiving new guidelines for applying to university. All scheduled activities in natural settings are prohibited indefinitely, including training exercises on the campus castle grounds and community areas, such as picnicking. The measure seeks to limit the movement of people through areas potentially contaminated by the trail of wild boars, one of the most common ways the virus spreads. In less than a week, students and workers noticed the effect. “It came like a blow, like an epidemic,” says Alexandra Fernandez, a café worker. “At first we opened the promenade, the open space where we ate, and after that we didn’t know how to proceed.”
The first Jabali died, and in this case he died, he showed up on campus, near the CREA lab, and this time he found another lifeless animal. The topic sparked discussions among students in the country, even before the Ministry of Agriculture opened an investigation to find out whether the virus had leaked from a nearby laboratory. To confirm, all sightings were located at the Centro de Investigación de Sanidad Animal (CReSA) laboratory located next to the university campus.
The presence of wild boars is common at UAB. Student Mateo Díaz confirms this at the doors of the Social Sciences Library: “Ayer, in the afternoon, on the street, I found a group of wild boars near the station. But now the entire path through the forest to the station is closed, we have to walk along the path.”
Matteo is one of the students directly affected by the new restrictions: “Next week we will have to practice Cola Castillera “In Sabadell,” he said regretfully. Despite the measures implemented within the campus, the entire area near Parque de la Collserola has seen a routine change. Lucas Gonzalez explains that the effects of the Swine Plague are noticeable due to the blockage of daily activities: he was run over by a railway from S3 and everything went backwards. He also warns that in the woods surrounding his family’s home he gets poison everywhere and that walking with dogs is a very dangerous trip due to the risk of poisoning.
The presence of wild boars at UAB, surrounded by parks and green areas, is usual, but many of them have decreased in recent years, largely due to the following control measures implemented, such as changing containers to prevent access to food or keeping the campus clean, without food residue.
But not everyone agrees that these measures are sufficient to contain the spread of animals and the development of the disease. Alexandra, the café room maid, noticed many rebellious roots around the picnic area, an area where many students spent their free time eating or studying. “Yes, I’m not here, I have a feeling I was here this evening,” he comments as he points to a parterre filled with cleared earth. He adds: “It may be another animal, but we know that it also eats roots and plants. As much as we keep everything clean, we will continue to pass by because this is its habitat and natural environment.”
Despite the temporary closure of some spaces and the suspension of many student activities, the independent university’s approach undermines the fact that closing the campus is ill-considered and that this possibility is “not on the table.” According to the statement, access to public transportation in the car will be sufficient to avoid the risk of infection, even if they insist on recommending travel on streets and boulevards only, not on rural roads, and not leaving organic waste.
The aim of these measures, according to the command’s Subrian, is twofold: to prevent wild animals from accessing food waste and to prevent people from acting as vectors of the virus outside the containment zone. In the next few days, you will be warned that “there may be a presence of rural agents and police in the area of operations.” Furthermore, please ask the entire academic community not to touch live or dead animals, report to 112, keep distance, and always carry dogs on a leash. Although the disease does not affect humans, it is highly contagious among animals and wild pigs, with a mortality rate of up to 100%. For this reason, a 20-kilometre-long surveillance zone has been activated. There is also a statement that the UAB race is being held in support of the 3Cat Marathon scheduled for December 14.