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Wild boar disrupt end-of-school picnic at lake near Rome

By: Wanted in Rome

Date:

09 Jun, 2022

Incident comes as Rome prepares for wild boar cull.

A lake-side picnic near Rome to celebrate the end of school descended into chaos by the sudden arrival of a family of wild boar on Wednesday afternoon.

The incident occurred on the shores of Lago Albano, the lake below the pope's summer retreat at Castel Gandolfo, as students gathered to mark their last day of school.

The tusked animals, which ran around the picnic site before disappearing back into the undergrowth, sparked panic among the picnickers, some of whom screamed and fled, reports newspaper La Repubblica.

Famiglia di cinghiali interrompe il pic-nic degli studenti al lago di Albano, scoppia il panico. Cittadini divisi: "Mai toccare i cuccioli" [aggiornamento delle 20:07] https://t.co/hJAIKw7lJb
— Repubblica Roma (@rep_roma) June 8, 2022

There was nobody injured in the incident - which was filmed and published by the 'Welcome to Favelas' page - however over the last year several people have been victims of wild boar attacks in the same area.

Comments on social media were divided between those who demanded that "something must be done to avert new attacks" while some blamed humans for "invading the animals' natural habit" and others claimed that the "wild boar are more afraid of you, just stay away from their young."

Italy set for wild boar cull amid swine fever fears in Rome

Wild boar are increasingly making the news in Italy, particularly in Rome where a spate of 'anti-social' incidents involving the animals, coupled with a recent outbreak of swine fever, has prompted authorities to organise a cull.

Italian farming organisation Coldiretti estimates there are 2.3 million wild boar in Italy, with more than 20,000 of the animals living in the greater Rome area.

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