The mayor of Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, Benoît Cerexhe, did not hide his concern about the presence of this wild boar which has already appeared several times to walkers. He was even seen in the middle of the night in the street. “I have nothing against the return of wildlife to our urban environment, quite the contrary, but as mayor, I must also prevent any potential danger. In this case, this wild boar could, in certain circumstances, cause an accident on the public highway or threaten the physical integrity of a walker in the park, or even a dog walking there. The now almost daily presence of this mammal in the park constitutes a risk that we cannot ignore,” declares Benoît Cerexhe.
A meeting was held this Friday between the municipality and Brussels Environment who are working together to take the most appropriate measures in response to the increasingly frequent presence of a wild boar in Woluwe Park and the surrounding area. The shared objective is to avoid any incident.
By mutual agreement, it was agreed that the mayor adopts a decree allowing Brussels Environment to take measures which, while of course ensuring the physical integrity of the animal is preserved, make it possible to respond to the problem of public safety. Without an exception to the nature ordinance and without a police order, it is in fact prohibited to capture and transport the animal.
Pascale Hourman, spokesperson for Brussels Environment, specifies: “We have started work in the field in order to identify sites particularly favored by wild boar and to analyze the means of intervention. In the meantime, we remind you of the rules of common sense. Keep your dog on a leash and, in the event of an encounter with the wild boar, stay calm and at a distance. Above all, do not take a stick or other object to hunt wild boar. Finally, do not feed him under any circumstances, to avoid changing his behavior.”
