China dealing with wild boar overpopulation in 26 provinces.
Recently, the Forestry Department of Xiji County, Ningxia, issued a notice offering a reward of 2400 yuan for each wild boar caught, in an effort to tackle the issue of wild boars running rampant. A leader of a hunting team claimed that they had captured 13 wild boars in a single night.
Reports from mainland China media on September 29 revealed that a 77-year-old woman in Zhaotong City, Yunnan Province, was attacked by a wild boar while hiking in the mountains on the 27th. This wild boar had already bitten 4 people within two days.
After being bitten, the elderly woman successfully killed the wild boar with a sickle. She is currently receiving treatment in the hospital.
Following this incident, the Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Xiji County, Guyuan City, Ningxia, announced the public recruitment of comprehensive wild boar hunting teams and harmless disposal teams as part of the wild boar control project.
The plan aims to capture 300 adult wild boars weighing over 40 kilograms within the boundaries of Xiji County, with a compensation of 2400 yuan per head. The budget for this initiative amounts to 720,000 yuan.
An official from the Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Xiji County mentioned to “Jiupai News” that the registration deadline was September 28, and the start time and duration of the hunt were not yet confirmed. Due to a large number of registrants, there will be preliminary screening and expert evaluations to ensure optimal selection.
Sud Senga, the leader of a hunting team, began hunting wild boars around 2021. Initially, there were not many locals hunting wild boars, with only three to five rescue teams. However, after several years of development, there are now dozens of teams, and wild boar hunting has become more widespread nationwide.
Sud Senga stated that they are now able to capture two to three hundred wild boars annually. He has already signed up for the current hunt and is awaiting selection.
Running a hardware store, Sud Senga mentioned that all his earnings have been invested in hunting, but he has been consistently operating at a loss.
He explained that he initially invested 1 million yuan as startup capital for the wild boar hunting business. Later, he raised over forty hunting dogs, with daily expenses amounting to around 1000 yuan for fuel, equipment maintenance, and food. More than ten hunting dogs die each year in encounters with wild boars. When the dogs suffer severe injuries, they need treatment elsewhere, costing over a hundred thousand yuan each time.
Sud Senga expressed that his team no longer wishes to continue hunting wild boars. After this hunting operation, if someone takes over, he will transfer the hunting dogs, equipment, and vehicles altogether.
The issue of wild boar damage in Xiji County has been persistent for a long time.
In 2019, the Ningxia Political Consultative Conference addressed the issue of controlling wild boars. Wild boars have a high reproduction rate, giving birth twice a year, with each litter consisting of dozens of piglets. Meanwhile, the number of natural predators like leopards, wolves, and jackals has decreased, leading to a rampant increase in wild boars.
Wild boar herds frequently trample farmers’ crops, causing extensive damage to various crops. Farmers have attempted various methods such as pesticides, smoke bombs, and loud noises to drive them away, but with limited success.
The problem of wild boar overpopulation is not unique to Xiji County alone. Data from the Chinese National Forestry and Grassland Administration shows that wild boars are distributed across 28 provinces, totaling 2 million in number. Many provinces have excessively high populations, with 26 provinces suffering from severe impacts.