Woman attacked by wild boar during walk in the Kempen (Meerhout)
Theme image. – © Sijmen Hendriks
A woman was taken to the hospital by ambulance on Wednesday morning after being attacked in Meerhout by a wild boar. The incident happened around 11 am when the woman was walking with her dog in a forest. She went on cutting wounds.
What inspired the animal is still unclear. « Wild boar only attack if they feel threatened or are hurt, » says Christophe Rutsaert of Hubertus Vereniging Vlaanderen. Possibly the dog’s dog, whether or not on a leash, was a trigger for the animal. Also a sow that protects her boy or a wounded wild boar can come out dangerously.
An attack can cause a lot of damage. « An adult wild boar can weigh up to 150 kg or more, » said Rutsaert. « That is a serious weight that comes to you. »
Night animals
According to Rutsaert, the number of attacks is limited, but the population of wild boar is increasing strongly and spreads geographically. « What we used to see mainly in Limburg is now also happening more and more in Antwerp, Flemish Brabant and even East Flanders. » Because wild boar are nocturnal animals, management of the population is difficult. Hunters have been arguing for better resources such as night vision and sound dampers to intervene more efficiently.
Read too. Do hunters get night viewers to combat wild boar? « Criminals are just waiting for this »
The municipality of Meerhout calls on residents to report all observations of wild boar-the animals themselves, legprints or root tracks-via the e-counter on the website or via the REBO team (Regional Everzwijnbeheer Support). Stay on the paths, do not feed the animals and look for shelter or an elevated place in the event of a confrontation. Certainly not run away.
