Increasingly, wild boar, traditionally known as shy inhabitants of forests and fields, are becoming a nuisance in residential areas across Germany. The animals are venturing into parks and gardens in search of insect larvae and earthworms and instances of aggression towards people are on the rise.
Recent reports detail an incident in Berlin’s Dahlem district where a 49-year-old woman walking her dog suffered a severe leg wound inflicted by a wild boar. The attack, which narrowly missed a major artery, required stitches. The woman described herself as “very lucky” to have avoided a more serious injury.
Berlin alone is now home to over 5,000 wild boar. The abundance of easily accessible food sources in urban green spaces and gardens is attracting and sustaining populations, with some groups becoming year-round residents of settled areas. As a result, the animals are losing their natural fear of humans.
Responding to growing citizen concerns, authorities are implementing hunting measures within city limits. In Berlin-Zehlendorf, five hunters are currently authorized to stalk and cull boar in parks and green areas, typically operating under the cover of darkness and employing specialized night vision equipment.
Other municipalities are exploring alternative methods. In Spain, hunters are utilizing bow and arrow to minimize noise and reduce the risk of stray bullets in populated areas. While bow hunting is generally prohibited in Germany, the mayor of Stahnsdorf, Brandenburg, is seeking approval to implement the practice. He hopes the new state agriculture minister will be more receptive to innovative hunting techniques than her predecessor.
Braunlage, Lower Saxony, has taken a different approach this year, deploying live traps in parks. Hunters set up large nets baited with corn, then remotely activate the traps when a group of boar enters, allowing them to cull the animals. The mayor reports a noticeable improvement in the situation following two such operations.
