en 
"Now we have confirmation that we have an abnormally high number of wild boar in rural territories and peri-urban areas and we need to increase the extraction effort", said the Secretary of State for Nature Conservation and Forests.
João Paulo Catarino indicated that the Government will "propose the extension of wild boar hunting periods", with the objective of "substantially reducing numbers".
"For now, we are even considering increasing the periods of wild boar hunting practically for the whole year", he added.
Vice-president of the ICNF, Paulo Salsa, stressed that, with the results of this study on the species in Portugal, the national authorities can "make better decisions".
"The wild boar population is estimated to be between 300,000 and 400,000, it has a very high growth rate and there is a lot of food available. Therefore, we need to reduce this population by between 10% and 20%, in the next five to 10 years," he said.
Pointing out that the effort to reduce the wild boar population must also involve farmers and organisations in the hunting sector, the official noted that some measures to achieve this objective "are already being taken".
The Javali Strategic and Action Plan was prepared by Rita Torres and João Carvalho, from the Center for Environmental and Sea Studies (CESAM) at the University of Aveiro, and Carlos Fonseca, from the ForestWISE Collaborative Laboratory, at the same academy.
"The numbers demonstrate an overpopulation of wild boar", highlighted Carlos Fonseca, noting that the population density of this species is higher in the regions of Alentejo, Beira Interior and Trás-os-Montes.
Underlining that this study "is unprecedented in Portugal", the researcher stressed that the country is now among those with the most information on this species and is in a position to be able to make the best decisions.
"We cannot forget that the threat of African swine fever is latent at European level. At the moment, it is already in the north of Italy and, although it seems far away, we have to have information that allows us to act in a rational and consistent way".
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Hunt them and distribute the meat to the poor at no cost.
By Ana from Lisbon on 31 May 2023, 12:32
There are reasons to control a wildlife species, such as they are confined into an area and are causing ecosystem damage.
This article started well, but lost all credibility at the point of quoting a politically motivated individual, and not a scientific source.
Across the world huge efforts are being made to re-wild and repopulate indigenous ecosystems and indigenous wildlife, but it is estimated that the Portuguese boar population has been reduced by 75% in the last 70 years, and a mere 300-400,000 remain.
Their spread should be encouraged, not reduced.
The swine-fever claims are false, as it is largely the movement of domestic pigs (and their feeds) that spread disease, which then gets into the free-living boar population.
Don’t blame the wild population for diseases, blame the bad (mass agricultural an non-organic) industry practices for this!
By Tony Williams from Other on 31 May 2023, 14:37
There is really no need to reduce the wild boar population since their numbers have already decreased drastically over the years. These wild boars can be confined to an area and then controlled by government measures.
By Lisa from Other on 31 May 2023, 20:33
Tony....... Sao Mamede National Park and surrounding area is overloaded with Boar. Pig families of 20 plus invade properties destroying fences, walls and can re-landscape a small farm in one night. Some of the males are enormous - they dig up rocks a single man cannot move.
Forget diseases and historical population figures - there are too many of them. They are breeding out of control. I like to see them, but there are too many!
By Joe from Alentejo on 31 May 2023, 21:02
We have several wild boar families wandering through the village without fear, destroying walls, breaking branches and destroying young fruit trees and crops.
By Mimi from Beiras on 01 Jun 2023, 06:22
There is also a pigeon overpopulation almost everywhere. I would recommend doing something about this as well. Plus, there is a stray dog overpopulation as well.
By Tom from Lisbon on 01 Jun 2023, 07:52