The 'Terror' of Wild Boars

 People keep talking about wild boar and "how aggressive they are" which is utter bilge.

What they mean is that stupid humans refuse to accept that they need to keep their distance from a wild animal. Even in parts of the world where there are fines and warning signs idiots with phone cams have to get closer to "the big fluffy".

Darwin Award winners.

When I lived in Germany spent a lot of time in forestry. We were country boys so "wald kind" (forest kids). As an adult I was walking through the dark forest and felt something odd beneath my feet. I looked down and had stepped on the outer part of a boars nest. A boars nest with young in it. A boars nest with young in it and 30 feet away was momma hog.

Cold sweat does not cover it. I realised that I was interfering in her territory and her young were nearby. So I kept my eyes on momma and slowly moved back and away from the nest and once I got out into the light and she had not charged me I could breath a little easier.

In this case I had done what I was always taught to do. I kept my eye on the boar and moved away slowly showing that I was no threat to her young -though animals can sense if you are a threat. I had no way of avoiding her had she charged as the tree trunks had no low hanging branches I could reach.

The point is that if you leave them alone they leave you alone. In Hong Kong, one of the world's most populated cities, it is not unusual to see boar walking around and you will see humans and boar passing each other and not even looking at one another.

If you go into the countryside or woodland just remember it is not YOUR home it is THEIRS.

photo wild boar in Hong Kong (c)2024 respective copyright owner