A herd of wild boar was seen in Narbonne-Plage. If the picture looks unusual, it really isn’t.
One of our readers, Jean-Luc, tells us of his surprise when, sitting on bus No. 8 in the direction of Saint-Pierre-la-Mer, he saw a herd of wild boars: “We were at a stop in Narbonne-Plage, around 7:00 p.m., very close to the center, next to the garbage bins, when we thought we could see poorly: in the darkness, at that time, we noticed a herd of wild boars. driver, a passenger and I all let out an “Oh” of surprise, emotion and after all fear! It was a reflex as we were all safe on the bus!”
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Boars, driven by hunger, are no longer afraid to enter the cities. It is not surprising to see them near garbage containers. But if in the past it was enough for them to push them with their snout to make them fall to the ground, today it is impossible for them to access the contents. Animals are attracted by smells, but cannot satisfy their hunger. We also know the significant damage suffered by winegrowers in August, every year before the harvest.
Luc Carel, president of the ACCA (hunting association) in Narbonne is not surprised by this anecdote, as much the wild boars multiply and no longer fear to venture on the outskirts of the cities. “Historically, the wild boars were more numerous in the Corbières and Hautes Corbières, and little by little they came down to the coast. When residential areas like Montplaisir came out of the ground, the wild boars came to prowl the containers of household waste”. When hunters try to quota them in a place, it often happens that they don’t stay: “They can easily travel 15 km at night.” The spread is explained by the number of young people twice a year: “A sow has five or six boars per litter in February and November”.
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Climate change is increasingly causing them to migrate to the cities. “It’s 17 degrees and they find something to eat along the coast: berries, mushrooms, small acorns, grapes, not to mention the rubbish that people leave next to the bins when they are full.” Another factor, the medium with scrub becomes thicker: “In the past, the sheep cleaned up the nature, whereas the scrub massifs are now so thick that they form very practical refuges for wild boar”.
If Luc Carel were to give some advice to the residents: “A boar is not afraid of anything, if you drive, a boar can see the headlights, he crosses anyway, you have to slow down and let him pass…” Problem: accidents are frequent and sometimes fatal. Regarding the hiker surprising a boar: “Cis a wild animal, avoid making sudden movements and step back slowly and be wary of sows who will do anything to protect their young.
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