The last 14 November 2025, María Escobar González defended her PhD thesis at the Facultat de Veterinària (UAB), where she studied how to understand and manage wild boar living in and around cities. She used camera traps to estimate how many wild boar there are and to see how they interact with other animals, information that helps monitor possible disease risks. She also combined citizen reports of wild boar sightings in Barcelona with satellite data and found that the layout and connectivity of parks and green areas strongly influence when and where wild boar enter the city. Finally, she compared several control methods (different capture and hunting techniques), showing that there is no single best option, and that using a mix of tools at the right time of year works best.

Her work offers practical, easy-to-use guidelines for city councils and managers aimed at reducing conflicts with wild boar.

Congratulations to Dr. María Escobar González!