Genk (The Brussels Morning Newspaper): In Genk, wild boar sightings dropped from 65 in 2022 to only 13 in 2023, with 11 reported in early 2024. Residents feel safer now because of successful management efforts like culling and fencing, which have reduced problems caused by the wild boars.
According to the Institute for Nature and Forest Research (INBO), the number of wild boars in Genk has dropped a lot in recent years. In 2022, there were 65 reported sightings of wild boars, showing they were quite common in the area. But in 2023, that number fell sharply to just 13 sightings, which means there are far fewer wild boars now. This big decrease could be due to different reasons, like changes in the environment, shifts in their population, or more efforts to manage and control the wild boar numbers.
What factors led to the surge in wild boar sightings in Genk?
In the first half of 2024, there have been 11 reports of wild boars in Genk, which suggests they might be coming back a little compared to last year. If this trend keeps going, it could mean their population is recovering, but the numbers are still much lower than what was seen in 2022. Organizers mentioned that the changes in wild boar sightings show how complicated wildlife populations can be and how local management efforts are working to deal with the challenges these animals bring to the area.
People living near the Melberg forest in Genk have seen fewer wild boars lately. Annelies Castermans from Bremakkerstraat said that two years ago, wild boars were a big problem, often wandering the streets and causing worries for everyone. Now, things have improved a lot, and the neighborhood doesn’t have the same issues anymore. This matches what the Institute for Nature and Forest Research has found about fewer wild boar sightings. Because of this, residents feel safer and can enjoy their area without worrying about wild animals, showing how good wildlife management can help make the community better.
“Thank goodness they’re gone,” says Jos Aerts from Bremakkerstraat about the wild boars that used to cause trouble. He remembers them messing up his neighbor’s lawn. Last year, Genk started a project where people could report wild boar problems, and a team would help if needed. Annelies Castermans thinks the efforts worked because they shot some boars and set traps. Residents also put up electric fences around their gardens. Dirk Remans says that since then, they haven’t seen any wild boars in the streets, gardens, or forest.
