Police hunt for wild boar in Swedish city

Radio Sweden
Posted: Wednesday, October 14, 2015 at 13:21 — Last Updated: Thursday, October 15, 2015 at 18:20
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Wild boar populations are on the rise in Sweden. (iStock)

Police in central Malmö, Sweden had an unusual call-out Tuesday night, to hunt for a wild boar which had been seen rampaging through the inner-city streets.

Police in Malmö received several calls from the public, shortly after midnight, with reports of a wild boar on the run near Pildammsparken, a popular park in the city.

Police communications officer Maya Forstenius tells Radio Sweden that they dispatched several patrol cars to the area and called in the local animal protection officer.

“It was moving around for about an hour or so and our patrol cars were trying to follow it and make sure it got into an area where the protection officer could get to it, but around 2 o’clock we lost sight of it and we had no more calls from the public. So, hopefully it has found its way out of the city.”

Police on the hunt for wild boar in a central park in Malmö. (Anton Kalm/Sveriges Radio)

“They can be very dangerous, especially one that is stressed and feels threatened, so it was a matter of public safety. If someone does see it today, be careful, don’t approach it and call the police immediately,” Forstenius says.

Sweden’s wild boar population has increased dramatically from a few hundred animals in the 1980’s to some 175,000 today. The animals have been known to attack people, cause traffic accidents and tear up crops and forests with their tusks. They are particularly prevalent in the south of the country.