Toru Hanai / Reuters
- Since the 1980s, wild boar numbers have exploded across the world.
- They are carriers of swine flu, and prompted the building of a 42-mile wall between Denmark and Germany in 2019.
- In parts of Germany and in Japan, wild boars running around are contaminated with nuclear radiation.
- In the US, they’re thought to be responsible for more than $1 billion of damage every year.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Wild boars are thriving across the world.
On July 30, The Guardian published an article called "Boar Wars: how wild hogs are trashing European cities" highlighting the issue.
Since the 1980s, warmer temperatures, more food, and fewer predators have meant their numbers have exploded. In cities in Europe, China, Pakistan, and the US, their presence is becoming more common — and more of a nuisance.
In the US, they’re thought to be responsible for more than $1 billion of damage every year.
Growing numbers prompted the building of a wall between Denmark and Germany to secure Denmark’s billion-dollar pork industry. In Poland, they caused hundreds of thousands to demonstrate after the government was thought to be embarking on a massive cull.
Some wild boar, in parts of Germany near Russia and in Japan, are contaminated with nuclear radiation.
Wild boars got a lot of attention this week with a viral tweet that said: "Legit question for rural Americans – How do I kill the 30-50 feral hogs that run into my yard within 3-5 mins while my small kids play?"
The Washington Post noted that the boars, also known as hogs, are "resilient in the face of helicopter assaults, threats of mass poisoning and elaborate traps."
Here are 21 photos showing how boars are taking over the world.
Wild boars, or the Eurasian wild pig, are on every continent except Antarctica. In Europe, there are now more than 10 million boars running wild. Their numbers have boomed since the 1980s due to three things: warmer climates, improved agriculture, and declining predators.
AFP Gregor Fischer
Source: The Guardian
According to experts, if a boar population falls by 90%, it can still recover within three years.
Nice Matin / AP
Source: The Washington Post
Wild boar thrive on trash. High-calorie diets, like human rubbish, or corn and cereal crops, are causing them to have more piglets, and more often.
Wikimedia
Source: The Guardian
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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SEE ALSO: Hong Kong’s wild boar dilemma in the Chinese New Year of the Pig
Source: Business Insider – feedback@businessinsider.com (James Pasley)