Berliners are sharing their city with thousands of wild boarsâ€â€and citizens are split on how to treat the porkers, the Wall Street Journal reports. Some prefer a more aggressive approach: Don’t feed them corn, says one licensed urban boar hunter, “feed them lead.” But others are shocked by what some call boar “murderers,†preferring to peacefully coexist.
As for the boars themselves, they’re generally peaceful, attracted to Berlin’s wooded and grassy areas. But they dig up gardens and parks, hold up traffic, and can be dangerous if they perceive a threat. Several dogs are killed each year by the animals, which can reach 250 pounds; one killed a hunter in October. “Ultimately we must learn to share the city with the swine,†says a biologist.
I’m surprised that it hasn’t created more outrage among portions of the populace.
Money quote: “That’s illegal, because it leads to inappropriate boar-human mingling.”
Comment by DarthRove on 12/16 @ 10:45 am #
I’m thinking Berlin could be a good spot to open up a BBQ joint that serves really, really, really fresh ribs.
Comment by mojo on 12/16 @ 10:53 am #
Seaman Hornsby?…
Comment by JohnAnnArbor on 12/16 @ 1:03 pm #
Couldn’t they turn it into a competition? Catch the biggest pig!
Comment by MarkD on 12/16 @ 2:38 pm #
It won’t work in DC. Congress will not stand for the competition.
Comment by BJTexs on 12/16 @ 3:19 pm #
What? Michael Moore and his extended family moved to Berlin?
Sweet!
Comment by Mikey NTH on 12/16 @ 4:15 pm #
#2 mojo:
Nice Operation Petticoat reference. Now we know why submarines are called ‘pig boats’. (sic)
Comment by Log Cabin on 12/16 @ 5:22 pm #
Perhaps the Germans could build a seperate area for the swine. Maybe some camps or a full ghetto.
The do have quite a bit of expertise in similar projects; I have read about them and seen it on the history channel.
Comment by Patrick on 12/16 @ 6:26 pm #
This a truly decadent society. Boars aren’t dangerous? From Wikipedia:
“If surprised or cornered, a boar (and particularly a sow with her piglets) can and will defend itself and its young with intense vigor. The male lowers its head, charges, and then slashes upward with his tusks. The female, whose tusks are not visible, charges with her head up, mouth wide, and bites. Such attacks are not often fatal to humans, but may result in severe trauma, dismemberment, or blood loss.”
These are not serious people.
Comment by Spies, Brigands, and Pirates on 12/16 @ 6:28 pm #
There’s an old story about a Nazi collaborator in post-war France.
His neighbors put him in an old quarry, along with a bunch of pigs and a wagonload of turnips.
Then they left him there, and waited for the turnips to run out.
Comment by stevey on 12/16 @ 8:29 pm #
From a rotation in Germany my Army unit’s war cry was “Boar Busters” — not because of the “bore” of the artillery guns, but because during an FTX a crusty E-7 pulled his sidearm and went Palin on a wild boar.
MREs were no comparison to fresh meat on a spit.
Comment by Pedantius on 12/16 @ 11:17 pm #
German boar are enormous and intelligent animals. They’re curious but myopic, which leads to some unnerving encounters (Grafenwohr and Hohenfels veterans know what I mean). They stink, too. As stated, and like all wild animals, they’re harmless unless frightened. One leaned against my hummer’s door and sort of trapped me there. Lacking anything better to do, I reached out and scratched behind his ears. I’m glad I don’t live where that dummkopf feeds corn to these roaming swine. Why not some bran muffins, too?
Comment by B Moe on 12/16 @ 11:32 pm #
Cool pix:
http://thegermanadventure.blogspot.com/2008/05/moving-to-germany-will-undeniably-move.html
Piglets are dangerously cute, literally so if Big Mama is around.