The map, which covers the entire European territory, was produced by the European wildlife observation consortium ENETWILD, with reference values compiled by the network of experts from the European Wildlife Observatory (EOW).
According to the data, Portugal has between 395,600 and 398,800 wild boars, with more cases in the central interior of the continent.
Steady increase
The authors of the study argue for the need to monitor wildlife throughout Europe and say that hunting data shows a steady increase in the number of wild boars.
From 2.2 million culled annually around 2010, to three million in 2017 and almost four million in recent years, is considered to be a conservative estimate.
This “constant and accelerated” growth represents a risk to animal health and the rural economy, especially due to the potential spread of infectious diseases such as African swine fever, say the authors.
In general terms, the map shows a greater presence of wild boar in the westernmost countries, such as Spain (2.4 million), France or Italy, central Europe and the Adriatic coast, while its density decreases eastward and, above all, northward across the continent, with the exception of Norway, which also has numerous animals.
In the Iberian Peninsula, the map shows several areas with “extreme population density”, especially worrying in the case of the Mediterranean corridor from southern France and Catalonia to southeastern Spain.
After the roe deer, the wild boar is the most widespread ungulate (hoofed mammal) in Europe, inhabiting a wide range of environments, from forests and scrubland to agricultural areas and high-altitude regions with harsh winters.