Warsaw forms team after surge of wild boars

17 July 2026 Poland Radar 0 Comments

City registers 8,800 reports and forms an expert team to tackle wild boars in Warsaw. Find safety and legal context for expats.

The city logged nearly 8,800 reports about wild boars in Warsaw in 2025, alarming residents and officials. Consequently, the city hall created a specialist team to design long-term solutions to the problem.

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wild boars in Warsaw: the scale and the facts

Warsaw counted 3,031 animals inside city limits in 2025. Moreover, reports rose from 423 in 2020 to 8,804 in 2025. In addition, authorities recorded 341 road collisions and 121 attacks on people last year. Therefore, the problem goes beyond occasional sightings. Furthermore, the city used a legal administrative decision to allow control efforts this year. The decision authorized capture of up to 400 animals and a reduction hunt for up to 100 boars. However, the city implemented interventions more cautiously than the limits allowed. Between 1 January and 14 April 2026, officials ran 1,546 interventions. Yet they used capture with killing in only 37 cases. As a result, they reduced numbers by 124 animals so far.

Where the problem concentrates and why

Wawer and Białołęka generated the most calls. Besides them, Bielany also reported high numbers. New housing now borders large forest complexes. Consequently, animals move freely between woods and streets. Moreover, easy access to garbage makes cities attractive to wild boars. In addition, urban areas lack natural predators. Therefore, boars breed faster in the city than in forests. Finally, residents report packs tearing open bags overnight. Thus, trash appears scattered on pavements in the morning.

What the new team will do and legal limits

The mayor created the Zespół ds. dzikich zwierząt to craft data-driven policy. The group includes scientists from the Warsaw University of Life Sciences and experts from Kampinos National Park. In addition, it features researchers from the Polish Academy of Sciences and practical staff from municipal forests. Consequently, the team will recommend policies beyond short-term deterrents. Moreover, officials note that scent repellents and noise devices often fail in dense urban settings. Furthermore, the city cannot legally relocate boars outside urban areas. The EU restrictions linked to African swine fever (ASF) ban moving wild pigs between zones. Therefore, Warsaw stopped translocation in 2018 and must comply with EU rules.

Practical advice for residents Also, keep garbage bags indoors until collection day. Call the city guard at 986 or Lasy Miejskie at 22 612 25 60 if you see a boar. Moreover, avoid feeding animals. Feeding makes boars lose fear of humans and return repeatedly. If you spot a sow with piglets, step back and keep distance. Finally, do not attempt to move or chase the animals yourself.

💡 GOOD TO KNOW: Poland enforces EU disease rules, so authorities cannot transport wild boars across zones. Also, a “mandat” means a fine issued by police. For paperwork, “PESEL” is your national ID number. Additionally, ZUS handles social insurance and NFZ runs public health care.

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