- International
- Letter from
Nearly 180 soldiers have been deployed to hunt down the feral pigs proliferating across the country. The government aims to address public concern and protect food exports amid an African swine fever epidemic.
ByAllan Kaval(Rome (Italy) correspondent)
3 min read
Lire en français- Share
- Share on Facebook
- Share by email
- Share on Linkedin
Subscribers only
LETTER FROM ROME
![The Italian military has been called in to help hunt wild boar (1) The Italian military has been called in to help hunt wild boar (1)](https://i0.wp.com/img.lemde.fr/2024/05/13/0/0/4500/2812/664/0/75/0/921a96f_1715588068295-000-9nm8qd.jpg)
A new episode has opened in the Italian government's war on wild boar. Rome has decided to send in the army to deal with the overpopulation of wild boar in the countryside and on the outskirts of Italian cities. The measure is part of a legislative package to protect the country's agriculture and food products, providing for the mobilization of 177 soldiers to hunt wild boar throughout the country.
The aim is to contain a serious epidemic of African swine fever, a disease transmitted to farm pigs by their wild cousins and which threatens the entire Italian charcuterie industry and its €8.2 billion in annual revenues. The epizootic detected in early 2022 in the country is potentially fatal for 90% of affected animals. It is spreading rapidly, particularly in the northwest of the Peninsula, causing producers in the Padana plain, cradle of Parma and San Daniele hams, to fear the worst.
In Italy, the cumbersome presence of wild boar has become a chronic problem that never ceases to agitate opinion and the public authorities, the latter aiming to reduce their population by 80%. Already in 2022, Parliament had passed a measure allowing Italian hunters to stalk wild boar in urban areas and natural parks. You only have to read the headlines in the regional press to appreciate the extent of the phenomenon. In Lazio, wild boar have taken to the streets of tourist villages in the Castelli Romani area. Between May 4 and 5, some were even seen lounging on Lake Albano beach.
Their presence is so invasive that the town council of Castel Gandolfo has had to publish a guide on how to behave when coming face to face with these animals, which can weigh up to 200 kg. The key is to keep calm, avoid running (the wild boar will always be faster) and make plenty of noise.
Panic among residents
In Castelli Romani, calls for vigilance have also been issued by local authorities, who are particularly concerned about the risk of road accidents owing to the presence of wild boar on the roads. The same concerns were expressed in the Pescara area. On May 9, residents of this Abruzzo seaside resort filmed a large family of wild boar settling under a bridge.
A few days earlier, a road accident was caused by the collision of a vehicle and four ungulates. On Wednesday, May 8, another group of animals was reported by residents on the outskirts of Sinnai, Sardinia, where they were feeding on the contents of torn garbage bags. The day before, on Monday, May 6, wild boars were spotted in gardens and between houses in the Elce district of Perugia, causing panic among residents, one of whom reported being surrounded by seven hungry animals.
You have 42.37% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.
Lecture du Monde en cours sur un autre appareil.
Vous pouvez lire Le Monde sur un seul appareil à la fois
Ce message s’affichera sur l’autre appareil.
Découvrir les offres multicomptes-
Parce qu’une autre personne (ou vous) est en train de lire Le Monde avec ce compte sur un autre appareil.
Vous ne pouvez lire Le Monde que sur un seul appareil à la fois (ordinateur, téléphone ou tablette).
-
Comment ne plus voir ce message ?
En cliquant sur «» et en vous assurant que vous êtes la seule personne à consulter Le Monde avec ce compte.
-
Que se passera-t-il si vous continuez à lire ici ?
Ce message s’affichera sur l’autre appareil. Ce dernier restera connecté avec ce compte.
-
Y a-t-il d’autres limites ?
Non. Vous pouvez vous connecter avec votre compte sur autant d’appareils que vous le souhaitez, mais en les utilisant à des moments différents.
-
Vous ignorez qui est l’autre personne ?
Nous vous conseillons de modifier votre mot de passe.
Lecture restreinte
Votre abonnement n’autorise pas la lecture de cet article
Pour plus d’informations, merci de contacter notre service commercial.