There are only a few copies in Tyrol, but they can still do a lot of damage. As a result of climate change, wild boars are increasingly drawn to the Alps, where they plow entire alpine pastures in search of food.
In short, wild boars are rare in Tyrol. But when they appear, they can cause significant damage. “They have such an eating behavior that they shake up the ground in grassland,” explains the Tyrolean Hunters Association (TJV). De Waidmann speaks of “breaking”, which hits the nail on the head. Because in search of worms, roots and larvae, the wild boar literally plows through the meadows, and not just in the valley.
According to the TJV, the animals benefit from climate change: because of the milder winters, there are more insects in the soil. “The pigs are conquering the Alps more and more and are reaching the treeline.” As a result, one or the other Almboden had to make the unwelcome acquaintance with the snout of a wild boar. “The damage is then considerable,” explains the TJV. Wild boars burrow up to 20 centimeters deep in the ground. “Two animals can plow the surface of a garden in one night.”
Animals immigrating from the north, packs in the lowlands
Nevertheless, according to the hunting experts, Tyrol is far from an “obvious problem”. They estimate the population at about 70 animals. They migrate from Bavaria to the Alps and are therefore mainly found in the districts of Kitzbühel and Kufstein, in the Karwendel and in the Ausserfern.
To limit soil damage, Tyrolean hunters are allowed to shoot the animals all year round. Females with piglets are spared, but they are also relatively rare – individual annuals are more common in Tyrol. Only in the lowlands, the TJV explains, do isolated gangs arise.
By the way: even though wild boars look menacing with their canine teeth, they can weigh up to 175 kilos and run up to 50 km/h, they are usually harmless to humans. “If an animal is not injured and has no offspring to defend,” emphasizes the TJV.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
