Curfew hits Rome as increase in wild boar attacks

According to residents in several neighborhoods, people living in Rome began imposing curfews Tuesday after a growing number of encounters with wild boars.

Community leaders in the northern part of the Italian capital are warning people against wandering the streets late at night because of several recent attacks by aggressive wild animals.

One man in the Balduina area recently was saved from a herd of boars after his dog intervened. He called it a “miracle” the dog was able to save him, he told the La Republica daily newspaper.

“We advise you, do not take your dog out to do its business after 8.30 p.m.,” Gianluca Sabino, who lives in the neighborhood, told the same publication.

Also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, and Eurasian wild pig, the animals can grow up to 220 pounds and now are one of the most widespread mammals in the world. Though they have sharp tusks, they are not normally aggressive but can be dangerous to humans.

Wild boar have been a constant problem in Rome, ransacking areas in packs with up to 30 animals. It is estimated that Italy has more than 2 million wild boars, with up to 20,000 living in Rome.

In September, the mayor of Rome filed a criminal lawsuit against the regional government in which the city is situated in a bid to stop wild boars from roaming freely in the area.

Mayor Virginia Raggi sued the Lazio regional government, saying the region failed to manage the animals effectively.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of wild boars roaming the country rose by 1.5% to about 2.3 million. Officials say the animals cause an average of 10,000 road accidents every year in Italy.

Boar meat is a staple of Tuscan and Umbrian cuisine.