Over the past decade, millions of wild boars have existed across the lands of Italy, including the country’s capital of Rome. Although seemingly passive, the animals have long posed a threat to humans by feasting on garbage, disrupting traffic, and now, spreading a dangerously contagious disease — one so detrimental that the country is arranging mass boar murders.
Many wild Italian boars have been suspected of spreading African swine fever, a virus that is harmless to humans and pets but fatal to commercially raised pigs. 98 percent of infected swine have died from the illness, but no treatments or vaccines have yet been found.
The fever poses a large threat not only to the commercial sector that is supported by over 100,000 jobs but to potential consumers of Italian pork. Although the industry brings in annual revenue of over $20 billion, its future is in jeopardy. Several countries, including China, have already imposed expensive import bans on pork from Italy over a fear of the virus.
After carcasses infected with African swine fever were discovered in northwestern Italy earlier this year, a government task force was created. Their goal: to reduce the massive wild boar population, estimated to be in the several million, by 50 percent.
“I don’t see the eradication of the disease as a possibility, unless you bring about a strong reduction of the [boar] population,” said Angelo Ferrari, a government-assigned expert helping to address the boar crisis. “The thing is, there’s just too many of them.”
Even as boars are being selectively slaughtered, the population has exceedingly grown beyond numbers that predators such as wolves had any hopes of controlling. The hardy animals are known to travel together and reproduce often. They continue to enter Rome through nature reserves and parks stretching into the city, tempted by the abundance of trash.
The government plans on enlisting the help of licensed hunters to pick off the wild boars. According to Ferrari, they plan to let the virus sweep through the boar population while containing the pigs within a “red zone” that will be sealed off with special equipment. Additionally, trash cans are undergoing new modifications, and over a dozen traps have been installed around Rome.
Yet, Italy’s planned boar gleaning has induced fierce criticism from animal rights groups. Roberto Vecchio, head of a local anti-hunting league, argues that the boars should be sterilized and set free elsewhere as a more humane solution. “Killing them should only be a last resort,” said Vecchio.
Link to article: https://s3.amazonaws.com/appforest_uf/f1658068976269x129744109329765550/African%20swine%20fever_%20boars%20that%20roam%20Rome%20must%20be%20killed%2C%20officials%20say%20-%20The%20Washington%20Post.pdf
Many wild Italian boars have been suspected of spreading African swine fever, a virus that is harmless to humans and pets but fatal to commercially raised pigs. 98 percent of infected swine have died from the illness, but no treatments or vaccines have yet been found.
The fever poses a large threat not only to the commercial sector that is supported by over 100,000 jobs but to potential consumers of Italian pork. Although the industry brings in annual revenue of over $20 billion, its future is in jeopardy. Several countries, including China, have already imposed expensive import bans on pork from Italy over a fear of the virus.
After carcasses infected with African swine fever were discovered in northwestern Italy earlier this year, a government task force was created. Their goal: to reduce the massive wild boar population, estimated to be in the several million, by 50 percent.
“I don’t see the eradication of the disease as a possibility, unless you bring about a strong reduction of the [boar] population,” said Angelo Ferrari, a government-assigned expert helping to address the boar crisis. “The thing is, there’s just too many of them.”
Even as boars are being selectively slaughtered, the population has exceedingly grown beyond numbers that predators such as wolves had any hopes of controlling. The hardy animals are known to travel together and reproduce often. They continue to enter Rome through nature reserves and parks stretching into the city, tempted by the abundance of trash.
The government plans on enlisting the help of licensed hunters to pick off the wild boars. According to Ferrari, they plan to let the virus sweep through the boar population while containing the pigs within a “red zone” that will be sealed off with special equipment. Additionally, trash cans are undergoing new modifications, and over a dozen traps have been installed around Rome.
Yet, Italy’s planned boar gleaning has induced fierce criticism from animal rights groups. Roberto Vecchio, head of a local anti-hunting league, argues that the boars should be sterilized and set free elsewhere as a more humane solution. “Killing them should only be a last resort,” said Vecchio.
Link to article: https://s3.amazonaws.com/appforest_uf/f1658068976269x129744109329765550/African%20swine%20fever_%20boars%20that%20roam%20Rome%20must%20be%20killed%2C%20officials%20say%20-%20The%20Washington%20Post.pdf
