The Sardoal City Council will create support for carrying out hunts to reinforce control of the wild boar population, announced today the municipality’s president, who also highlighted the inclusion of the council in the national pilot project for controlling the species.
“For us, the inclusion in this pilot project is important because it is the recognition that the problem exists. It is also the recognition by the authorities that the problem exists and that it matters to be controlled,” he told the Lusa agency.
The mayor of Sardoal, in the Santarém district, advanced that the proposal for support to hunters’ associations will be presented at the next executive meeting, seeking to reinforce the control of wild boars, whose presence has caused agricultural losses and concerns about road safety.
“It is a support that will materialize only in support for the hunts, in carrying out the hunts,” explained Pedro Rosa, adding that the municipality will collaborate with the associations in applying the rules of the ICNF pilot project (Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests).
“But, at this moment, we must roll up our sleeves and do this density control,” he argued.
The intention to grant financial support had already been conveyed to the associations at a meeting of the Municipal Hunting Council, confirmed to Lusa by Nuno Carreira, vice-president of the Sardoal Hunters Association, who pointed to expenses with packs of dogs and needs for logistical and administrative support.
The association is preparing for November 28 the first hunt after the announcement of Sardoal’s integration in the pilot project, with registrations sold out, 80 to 90 hunting positions and six packs of hounds, covering about 50 hectares near the National Road 2 (EN2).
“Already sold out,” confirmed Nuno Carreira, explaining that the action will take place in an area where three hunting zones converge, with associations from neighboring zones, seeking to reduce the presence of wild boars near the road.
“In addition to being a hunting practice, we are also concerned with the safety of people who daily frequent that road,” he said.
The leader referred to that in previous hunts, as many as 15 to 20 wild boars were killed, considering a similar result positive, though it depends on field conditions and whether the animals will stay in the selected patch and where they are today.
According to Nuno Carreira, the wild boar population has been increasing in recent years, with residents frequently reporting damage to gardens and agricultural crops.
“The population has been increasing drastically in recent years,” he warned, advocating an articulated response between the Government, municipalities and hunters’ associations.
The Sardoal Hunters Association intends to join the ICNF pilot project and is preparing the administrative requirements to participate, according to the leader, who considers national incentives and municipal support complementary.
“All supports will be welcome to combat this scourge,” he said, noting that hunting also contributes to prevent road accidents and agricultural losses.
The national pilot project, launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Sea through the ICNF, has 500,000 euros and covers more than 1,300 hunting zones in 65 municipalities across 15 districts of continental Portugal.
In Médio Tejo, only Abrantes, Mação and Sardoal were included at this stage, with the Intermunicipal Community defending expansion to other municipalities affected by the presence of wild boars.
The program provides incentives of 50 euros per male and 70 euros per female killed above the historical average of each hunting zone, plus 10 euros per specimen directed to an approved hunting handling establishment, up to a limit of 2,000 euros per zone.
The initiative runs until May 31, 2027 and aims to reduce agricultural and forest losses, road accidents and sanitary risks, notably African swine fever.
