Wild boar damage to agriculture and woodland sparks rural conflict

The growing presence of wild boar near farmland and woodland is a major source of conflict in rural areas, pitting those who work the land against wild animals. “There are many complaints from farmers and forestry producers,” acknowledged Carlos Fonseca, a researcher at the University of Aveiro.

Mário Gomes, president of the Union of Parishes of Aveleda and Rio de Onor in Bragança, where the villages lie within the Lombada National Hunting Area, one of Portugal’s largest, told JN that “many farmers” complain every year about damage caused by big game. “At this time, there is extensive damage to pastureland and meadows, because there are still few crops in the vegetable gardens, which were only recently planted. There are complaints every year. It is inevitable, as there is even damage to chestnut trees and people get angry,” said the local authority representative.

Wild boar damage to farming and woodland

Nevertheless, people affected by damage from wild boar or deer generally have to absorb the losses themselves, as assistance is rarely available. “In my parish, people have given up asking to be compensated for the damage. They get no response, and the process is bureaucratic, complicated and nobody accepts responsibility,” Mário Gomes noted.

ICNF told JN that, “under the law”, damage caused by animals must be paid for by hunting associations, because “the managing bodies are responsible for the damage”. However, Carlos Fonseca accepts that most hunting associations are small and charge low membership fees. “They do not have substantial financial resources” to cover losses caused by wild animals, the researcher said.

He therefore proposes developing local initiatives involving parish councils and municipal authorities to find ways of increasing the gastronomic value of these species.

“These animals have considerable value as game meat. Value chains need to be created so that the return remains in the areas where the animals cause damage,” he said.

Wild boar increasingly seen near cities

The issue is not confined to Portugal. Images of wild boar moving into urban ecosystems are becoming increasingly common in major cities such as Barcelona and Berlin. In Portugal, they have been spotted mainly in Arrábida, in Setúbal, but also in Coimbra. “Wild boar are increasingly occupying ecosystems where they were less likely to be found only a short time ago, and we must learn to live with them,” says Carlos Fonseca, stressing that they are wild animals and therefore present health-related concerns. “People cannot and should not behave towards them in the same way as they do with domestic animals,” the researcher warns.

Notes

Started with 14 areas

The action plan was based on an initial study of 14 pilot areas for the project’s implementation. Each area is a management unit corresponding to one or more hunting areas, selected to represent hunting realities, including types of hunting areas, the country’s environmental and ecological diversity, and land management and land use.

Two added

Two pilot areas were added to address geographical gaps in the sample. In total, 16 pilot areas were examined, covering 21 hunting areas, as well as Arrábida Natural Park.

Control

For nationwide population control of the species, a reduction of between 20 and 30% over a period of 5 to 10 years was proposed.

Data

1674

wildlife collisions on roads recorded by Infraestruturas de Portugal in 2024

1403

accidents involving animals recorded by the GNR in the first half of 2025