Contraceptives for wild boars
Although more wild boars are shot each year, their numbers continue to rise. Is shooting even more animals the solution to the "wild boar problem"? Or is the intensive hunting of wild boars itself the problem?
Researchers in Texas have developed a novel contraceptive for boars that is intended to reduce sperm activity and thus the fertility of wild boars .
Incorrect hunting practices as the cause of the increase
Rising wild boar populations pose a problem due to hunting pressure.Incorrect hunting practices, particularly the culling of lead sows, lead to young sows becoming pregnant and giving birth year-round. If left undisturbed, wild boars live in stable communities where, as a rule, only the lead sow reproduces.
In early June 2021, scientists in the US state of Texas introduced a new method for controlling the wild boar population. The contraceptive, called " HogStop ," is intended to help limit the number of wild boar.
Reduced sperm activity
According to the HogStop website, the feed acts as a male contraceptive in wild boars, lowering sperm count and being " not a poison that kills the pigs ." The developers describe the product as a " mixture of natural feed ingredients ."
Initial tests on wild boars began three years ago. Researchers determined that sperm motility was reduced by 60%.
Offer for automatic feeders
The developers recommend using special automatic feeders for administering the contraceptive. The wild boar population in Texas has grown to more than 2.6 million. The US Environmental Protection Agency has approved the mineral-like substance as a pesticide. Applications for approval in other countries are currently underway.
