Porcine Press – Swine Invasion in Europe
Here’s one from the, “Well, I can’t come up with anything on my own,” file.
I’ve written a time or two about the massive expansion of wild/feral hogs in the States. Folks in Texas, Florida, and California can certainly say something on that topic. But from what I just read in the Speigel online news, the US has nothing on Europe when it comes to a wild boar invasion.
According to the article, German hunters killed somewhere in the neighborhood of 450,000 wild boar over the last season. In France, another 500,000 were killed, while Poland is lagging with a harvest of around 200,000 hogs. That’s a lot of pork chops! But more seriously, that’s a lot of crop damage.
The Spiegel article points out that the spread of the wild boar is possibly due to manmade factors, not the least of which is new agricultural practices. Approximately 27% of Germany is under cultivation for maize, rape seed, and wheat. Additionally, due to the recent warm winters, Europe has seen a bumper crop of acorns and chestnuts.
It’s interesting stuff, no doubt. I’d definitely recommend giving it a read if you have time. What happens in Europe can’t be far from happening here too.
Great post. A couple of weeks back, I was able to attend a lecture by a Spanish researcher on the effects of carbon sequestration on reforestation in Europe. The good news is that the carbon market-like mechanisms are providing a way to cut back on ag. subsidies, while probably reforesting about 10% of Europe’s rural land.
As for wild pig “invasions” in Europe, I think a more apt analogy would be whitetail back East, since the pigs are native over there.
December 1st, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Thanks, Josh.
Probably right about apt comparisons… the boar definitely do belong in that part of the world, although the news I’m reading makes it sound like they’re showing up in unprecedented ways and places.
Saw a cool article about the likely return of wild boar to Scotland too, by the way. I’d love to go over one day to do a hunt for red deer and boar.
December 1st, 2009 at 2:16 pm