The 20-strong pack prowled around residences on the outskirts of the city, leading environment councillor Giorgio Arcuri to call for “appropriate measures to stem this phenomenon”.
Boar incursions have become increasingly brazen in Italian cities and the government has ordered a cull, including using bows and arrows to down animals that can then be eaten.
Since July 27, for example, the Regional Council of Liguria has approved an amendment that allows hunting wild boars, deer and moufflons with a bow and arrow, sparking strong protests from animal rights groups which accused the northwestern Italian region’s authorities of “barbarity”.
Farm group Coldiretti has campaigned against what it calls a “full-scale invasion” that has caused until damage to crops.
Earlier this year Coldiretti said that Italy’s drought crisis was driving more and more wild boar into cities causing increasing death and damage and exacerbating an already critical invasion situation.
The drought had shriveled crops and dried up streams pushing boar ever more towards urban and coastal centres in search of food and water, Coldiretti President Ettore Prandini told a board emergency summit.
ANSA
