The wild boar population is increasing after steadily decreasing over the past few years. An increase that, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, has caused a record number of traffic accidents during the first months of the year.
As a result of increased culling, the wild boar population continuously decreased between 2021 and 2023, writes ATL. This led to fewer traffic accidents with wild boars during the same period. But now the trend has turned and the Environmental Protection Agency reports that 2,628 wild boar accidents occurred during the first five months of the year. The 65 percent increase, compared to the same period last year, is due to the population increase. The causes may be that 2023 was a good acorn year and that hunting of wild boars has decreased.
According to the Board of Agriculture, wild boars destroyed 47,800 tons of grain in 2023 and also destroyed potatoes, starch potatoes, and hayfields. The Environmental Protection Agency is now urging hunters and landowners to monitor the population's development, which may lead to additional measures such as protecting crops. However, culling may also become necessary again to reduce the population.
