Wild boars in Rome are now becoming a hazard, being a prominent carrier of African swine fever. The disease is harmless to humans, but extremely deadly to commercial pigs, an industry supporting 100,000 jobs.
Fear of the virus has already prompted several countries, such as China, to ban imports of Italian pork.
A government task force made to cut down the population of wild boar, estimated to be in the millions, was created in March after infected carcasses were found in northwestern Italy.
“I don’t see the eradication of the disease as a possibility, unless you bring about a strong reduction of the [boar] population,” says Angelo Ferrari, a boar expert tasked by the government to address the boar problem. “The thing is, there’s just too many of them.”
There has not been a treatment or a vaccine found to combat the virus, which is confirmed to kill 98% of all swine it infects. Rome has been forced to put up signs asking visitors to sanitize their shoes before they leave since the virus can survive on numerous surfaces including soil.
The spread of such a disease would ruin an industry that brings more than 20 million dollars in annual revenue. Import pauses have already been put in place in China and Japan, costing the industry around 20 million dollars.
“It’s an industry of fundamental import,” says deputy health minister Andrea Costa.
The wild boar population has greatly increased in the past years. The lack of predators and high reproduction rates has caused an influx of Boars to appear across Italy according to Scientific studies by the European Landowner’s Organization.
Rome has already put many drastic measures in place including modified trash cans and Boar traps, placed outside Rome’s Great Ring Junction, the orbital motorway that encircles the city.
The endeavor has understandably been met with resistance from animal rights groups.
“Killing them should only be a last resort,” says Roberto Vecchio, head of a local anti-hunting league, who argues that sterilization and humane removal would be the best solution.
Many people are outraged at the prospect of slaughter including Michela Vittoria Brambila, a member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, stating “It was a gratuitous barbarity.”
Italian officials are still adamant with the plan however with Italian health minister Roberto Speranza stating “I respect the sensitivities of animal rights activists and environmentalists, but we are facing an emergency and it must be addressed with emergency measures.”
Source: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/wild-boars-are-ransacking-rome-180980082/
Link to article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/07/17/wild-boars-rome-italy-african-swine-fever-cull/
Fear of the virus has already prompted several countries, such as China, to ban imports of Italian pork.
A government task force made to cut down the population of wild boar, estimated to be in the millions, was created in March after infected carcasses were found in northwestern Italy.
“I don’t see the eradication of the disease as a possibility, unless you bring about a strong reduction of the [boar] population,” says Angelo Ferrari, a boar expert tasked by the government to address the boar problem. “The thing is, there’s just too many of them.”
There has not been a treatment or a vaccine found to combat the virus, which is confirmed to kill 98% of all swine it infects. Rome has been forced to put up signs asking visitors to sanitize their shoes before they leave since the virus can survive on numerous surfaces including soil.
The spread of such a disease would ruin an industry that brings more than 20 million dollars in annual revenue. Import pauses have already been put in place in China and Japan, costing the industry around 20 million dollars.
“It’s an industry of fundamental import,” says deputy health minister Andrea Costa.
The wild boar population has greatly increased in the past years. The lack of predators and high reproduction rates has caused an influx of Boars to appear across Italy according to Scientific studies by the European Landowner’s Organization.
Rome has already put many drastic measures in place including modified trash cans and Boar traps, placed outside Rome’s Great Ring Junction, the orbital motorway that encircles the city.
The endeavor has understandably been met with resistance from animal rights groups.
“Killing them should only be a last resort,” says Roberto Vecchio, head of a local anti-hunting league, who argues that sterilization and humane removal would be the best solution.
Many people are outraged at the prospect of slaughter including Michela Vittoria Brambila, a member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, stating “It was a gratuitous barbarity.”
Italian officials are still adamant with the plan however with Italian health minister Roberto Speranza stating “I respect the sensitivities of animal rights activists and environmentalists, but we are facing an emergency and it must be addressed with emergency measures.”
Source: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/wild-boars-are-ransacking-rome-180980082/
Link to article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/07/17/wild-boars-rome-italy-african-swine-fever-cull/
