Warsaw has a wild boar problem, so mayor orders culling

Apparently, it was a last resort in an effort to ensure the safety of the citizens of the Polish capital

Perhaps unbeknownst to the rest of the world, the Polish capital has been dealing with a wild boar infestation problem for years now. Things have gotten so bad with the roaming hogs that Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski had to permit the culling of a limited number of animals in an effort to control their population.

The city head said he ordered the shootings with a “heavy heart”, as quoted by national media sources, likely due to a fear of an indignant reaction from animal rights groups and celebrities.

Still, it seems that the incidence of boars appearing in public places, rummaging in the trash and scaring residents has been on the rise after 3,000 such sightings were reported in the first six months of this year alone. For comparison, last year’s sightings were 2,500.

Complex problem

Looks like the wild boar population has flourished, so much so that the wild animals have found it easier and more attractive to rummage for food on the city streets than in the forest. Apparently, placing more food sources in their natural habitat hasn’t helped.

In addition, Mayor Trzaskowski had already appealed to residents to also be more responsible and not to feed the hogs and to secure their rubbish properly.

Two years ago, an innovative solution was proposed. It was in the form of a high-tech pen, which acted as a trap for the animals. The enclosure has corn scattered inside and it can differentiate whether a board has entered it or another animal, such as a dog.

The catching pen was tested in Krakow, itself also dealing with a wild boar problem, and it was proposed as a more humane way to trap the animals and then transport them back to the forest for release. It seems that they have become habituated to returning to the city streets though.

That’s why, the Warsaw order states that 200 boars will be killed. If they are found in populated places, they will be first trapped and then euthanized elsewhere rather than being shot on the spot.

Another European capital that is famously struggling both with waste management and wild boar management is Rome. The two problems are often interlinked.