Experts call for measures to curb wild boar population

Several recent incidents across China of wild boars entering cities and causing damage to property or injuring people have prompted experts to call for measures to control the population of this invasive species and stem the escalating human-wildlife conflicts.

On Oct 27, a wild boar rammed into a train on a high-speed railway line in Nanjing, Jiangsu province. As the train stopped and a mechanic stepped down to inspect if there was any equipment malfunction, he was killed by a train passing on the adjoining tracks.

On the same day, an injured wild boar barged into a house in Mentougou district of Beijing. Fortunately, no resident was hurt.

With China's ecological environment continuously improving, there has been a steady rise in wild boar populations across the country, which in turn has increased the occurrence of human-wildlife conflicts.

Data from the National Forestry and Grassland Administration shows that a total of 2 million wild boars inhabit 28 provincial-level regions in China, and accidents or attacks involving boars have been reported in 26 of them.

Xie Yi, a professor at Beijing Forestry University, said that due to their strong adaptability and high reproductive capacity, the population growth rate of wild boars is faster than their natural enemies such as jackals, wolves and leopards, which has resulted in an expansion in their activity range.

Also, wild boars tend to forage downhill more frequently in spring and autumn, which is a key reason for their recent frequent sightings.

Sun Quanhui, a scientist with the World Animal Protection Association, said that wild boars are omnivorous and can eat anything from plant shoots, roots and fruits to insects, mollusks and animal carcasses.

"They are not picky eaters and will consume anything edible. Therefore, they are an important part of the ecosystem and biodiversity. Their increasing numbers reflect an overall improvement in the domestic ecological environment," he said.

Sun added that in the absence of natural enemies, "the only way to control the wild boar population and bring it to a reasonable level is by hunting".

In June last year, the grassland administration removed wild boars from the List of Terrestrial Wildlife with Important Ecological, Scientific and Social Value, eliminating the need for a license to hunt or capture them.

Several provinces and regions such as Shaanxi province and the Ningxia Hui autonomous region have recruited bounty hunters to curb wild boar populations.

However, Sun noted that hunting is only a temporary measure, which is not only time-consuming and labor-intensive but also difficult to sustain.

"In the long run, the natural populations of wild boar predators need to be gradually restored to control wild boar populations. Expanding the wild boar habitat can also reduce human-wildlife conflicts," he said.

In February, the grassland administration issued a work plan for preventing and controlling damage caused by terrestrial wildlife, including wild boars.

The plan aims to establish by next year a legal framework for preventing and controlling damage caused by wildlife, enhance the ability to prevent and control damage, and improve the compensation and assistance mechanism.

Sun said that although wild boars generally do not attack humans unless they feel threatened, adult males are powerful creatures with pointed tusks and a close encounter could lead to serious consequences.

"Wild boars usually choose to avoid humans. However, if humans frequently feed wild boars, they may lose their fear of humans, potentially associating humans with food and approaching them, increasing the risk of conflicts," he said.