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Wild boars have taken a truly horrifying turn in the escalating crisis on the Costa del Sol after they attacked and ate a pregnant mare at a rural estate near the Guadalobon district of Estepona.
The owner is the person who owns and runs a horse breeding centre. Francisco TineoDescribed the “cruel and inhuman” death of the horse with harrowing details: “They ate the animal alive.” They’ve killed cats before, but we never thought they would attack horses.
Talking to local mediaTineo, visibly shaken, said that the boars are now right at his door. “We don’t want to go outside at night.” This is getting serious if they are bold enough to kill a mare.
The incident is one of many aggressive incidents on the Costa del Sol, 2025. Around 22,000 wild boars have become more and more aggressive, and some are even breeding hybrids with domestic and wild pigs. They now venture into shopping centers, urbanisations, and main roads.
Wild boar population is being controlled by hunters
The appeal for urgent assistance has come from local huntersThe animals are protected by thick reeds along the river. “They hide in the cañas and only come out into open ground when they choose,” he explained, adding that boars are now regularly sighted in nearby residential areas such as Selwo and Seghers. “Sooner than later, there will be an accident on the road or someone will be attacked.”
A young woman in central Marbella was hospitalized after she hit an adult boar with her motor scooter. East of Malaga City, near Rincón de la Victoria on the A7 motorway, a serious crash was caused by boars running across the motorway. This winter there are concerns as many restaurants have closed their doors due to the cold, which reduces the amount of food waste that is available in urban areas for the animals.
Fines for feeding wild boars
The brutal attack has reignited calls to enforce stricter laws against residents who feed wild boars. This practice, according to experts, is the primary reason why the animals have become accustomed and are now roaming residential areas under the open sky. Feeding wild boars is strictly prohibited across Malaga Province and carries an immediate fine of €250, as was issued for the first time in Mijas in January 2025, with repeat or serious offences potentially reaching up to €6,000 under national animal-protection laws. Local authorities and hunting associations insist that every piece of food deliberately left out, whether scraps for “cute” piglets or water bowls in gardens, directly encourages the population explosion and turns the jabalíes into bolder, more dangerous urban pests.
The incident came just weeks after Malaga authorities approved the unlimited hunting of hybrids and female boars in all of Malaga for the 2025/2026 seasons. It also follows calls by residents and businesses – from Fuengirola’s hotels to Mijas’ golf courses – for stronger measures to combat an overpopulation.
