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ARCHIVED - What to do if you encounter a wild boar on the streets of Almeria
Once rare, sightings of packs of wild boars in cities and towns across Andalucia are now becoming commonplace
At one time, wild animals gave humans a wide berth and sightings in urban areas were rare. Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown and social restrictions that ensued, countryside critters have become very comfortable wandering Spain’s city streets and in most cases, take no notice of people whatsoever.
Andalucia is no exception and reports of massive wild boars ambling through the neighbourhoods of Almería occur on an almost daily basis. One gutsy resident recently came across several of the swine rifling happily through the bins on a packed street, oblivious to the crowds.
"I went to dinner in Cabo de Gata and I found about ten of them, so happy, in the middle of the street as if nothing had happened," he described, explaining that he clicked his tongue to hunt the boars away from the garbage.
In Almería at least, no wild boar encounters have resulted in any injuries, but this isn’t the case everywhere. In Alicante during the summer, a 67-year-old woman was bitten by a boar at Racó beach in Albir.
Boars are still wild animals, and large, powerful ones at that, so it’s important to know how you should react if you come face to face with one of these animals. The tusk of the male is strong and agitated boars attack in the same way as bulls: aiming from the groin and the femoral artery. A bite from a female can break any bone in the body.
What to do if you come into contact with a wild boar
It’s vital that you stay calm if you happen across a boar and take time to weigh the situation. If the animal in question is a female accompanied by her piglets, she won’t hesitate to act aggressively to protect her young if she feels threatened. It’s a bad idea to shout or throw anything at wild boars as this could lead them to attack.
Instead, find a high vantage point like a wall or tree if possible. If not, walk away in the opposite direction but do this slowly so as not to spook the animal. Keep your eye on it as you retreat, and stay as quiet as possible.
If the wild boars are still some distance away then it’s safe to try to scare them away by making noise.
In either case, you must notify the authorities by calling 112 or the Local Police.
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