why the wild boar reproduces so quickly

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Hunters are taking more and more samples, they are seeing a sharp increase in the wild boar population. How to explain this phenomenon?

Patrice Friconneau: It is impossible to estimate the wild boar population, only samples allow this increase to be noted. The causes are multifactorielles.

This species can adapt to all environments. The wild boar is not normally a marsh animal, but it has become one because it first seeks the tranquilitywith places of life that are difficult to access for humans, hunting reserves, for example, but also in peri-urban or even urban areas. And he finds his happiness in the marshes of Grand Lieu, in the Breton marshes or in those of the Estuary, on the coast too, along the Blue Route, in wastelands…

And the more there are samplesthe more the species increases its number of wild pigs. Thirty years ago, the average number of pups per litter was much lower than today. Today this can exceed ten individuals. It is a phenomenon that we observe in other mammals, when there is pressure on the species, when the conditions are met.

What about the climatic factor?

Patrice Friconneau: With less cold in winter, the mortality rate is less in wild pigs, whose thermal regulation is sensitive. And it is not uncommon to see sows weighing less than 40 kg pregnant, less than a year old. The other part of the explanation is presence of foodin corn crops, but also with increased production of acorns.

Regulating wild boars is therefore difficult for hunters…

Patrice Friconneau: Wild boars are growing faster than they can harvest them, despite the national plan intended to control the development of wild boars (the PNMS), launched in 2009.

The prefect authorized the use of the chevrotinewe will see if it is effective in voluntary territories. I am also the departmental correspondent for the hunting safety network. With the hunters, we have taken measures to strengthen security during hunts.

Every year there are hunting accidents. For example, in March 2024 in Chaumes-en-Retz, a hunter was injured by a bullet in the stomach, he was seriously injured. We would like to see this number of accidents drop, which is unfortunately quite constant, while the number of searches increases.

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