Swompdonkey

VORSICHT! BISSIGER SCHWEIN!

BERLIN (AP) — Coming across a 100-kilogram wild animal with bug eyes, a big snout and pointy ears is nothing unusual in many Berlin neighbourhoods.

Up to 7,000 wild pigs inhabit the forests in and around the leafy city and often make themselves at home in residential areas. The result: uprooted gardens, frightened pets and annoyed homeowners.

Marlis Goetze has lived in Eichkamp, one of the most pig-invaded neighbourhoods, for over 12 years. She often takes her golden retriever for a walk in the bordering forest, and says there are lots of the swine lingering around town.

“I am still in shock, I just saw a huge boar in the woods,” Goetze said, making quick steps while leaving the forest with her dog. Often the boars come as close as three metres, she said.

Authorities get some 4,000 complaint calls a year about wild pigs ravaging backyards, tearing up fences and eating their way through vegetable gardens, with onions a particular favourite of the pigs. Learning to tolerate the frequent visitors is part of being a Berliner.

“When you live here you kind of get used to the piggies,” said wild pig victim Peter Bebiolka. Last year three boars dug up his yard and turned it upside down.

“I had to plant new grass but my lawn is still full of humps,” he said. “You can feel the humps when you walk across the yard.”

In the anti-pig camp are Hans and Gila Ruge, a couple who has lived in Eichkamp for decades. “It is absolutely annoying, they come and eat what they can find in my garden,” Hans Ruge said.

This year the pigs — who prefer to ravage yards at night and in groups as large as 15 or 20 — broke into the Ruges’ garden three times. They can easily get in by digging into the ground and pushing up the edge of the fence with their snouts. “Every time they steal my potatoes and eat my onions,” Ruge said.

Derk Ehlert, the city’s administration wildlife expert, says people shouldn’t be afraid of the pigs despite their size. “Wild pigs are extremely peaceful, and only aggressive when they fear their own life is at stake,” Ehlert said.

Sows with piglets can often be more aggressive than boars. While the boars will often be content with a strong push with their snouts, an attacking sow may bite.

Ehlert said the growing population meant that a record high of 2,700 pigs were killed by hunters and cars last year — 1,683 killed during hunting season, while 900 more died in other incidents such as being hit by cars or being shot by city-hired hunters after they cause disruptions such as blocking traffic.

Residents can call for assistance getting a pig out of their yards, but regulations require that city workers must first try to shoo the pig back into the forest. Only when the pig won’t go peacefully or becomes aggressive can deadly force be used.

The biggest mistake people make, Ehlert said, is feeding them. “Home owners often leave their garbage out for days. And sometimes, they even purposely feed the pigs because they think the pigs are so skinny,” Ehlert said.

Feeding wild animals, which makes them lose their fear of people, can draw a fine of thousands of dollars, Ehlert said.

Reports of injuries to people are rare, although several years ago, a sow wandered onto a school playground and aggressively pushed one of the kids, who fell but wasn’t hurt, he said.

“There’s wild pigs all over Berlin but they are very calm and almost never aggressive,” said Marc Franusch, spokesman for the Berlin city forestry department.

“Just don’t monkey with them.”