Otwock County approves shooting of 400 wild boars despite activist protests

The starosta of Otwock County, Tomasz Laskus, issued a final order to cull 400 wild boars across three municipalities – 200 in Otwock, 100 in Józefów and 100 in Karczew – citing resident safety and uncontrolled population growth. Left‑wing and animal‑rights groups challenged the decision before the Samorządowe Kolegium Odwoławcze (Administrative Appeals Board), but the board upheld the order, allowing the mass shooting to proceed.

The culling will be carried out at night in five designated zones, with hunters compensated by receiving the carcasses. Officials argue that alternative measures such as relocation are blocked by strict sanitary rules related to African swine fever. The controversy has generated petitions, visits to the Ombudsman and the Ministry of Interior, and an interactive map of the shooting zones, yet the county administration remains firm.

The plan, in effect since 2025, reflects ongoing tensions between rural wildlife management and activist pressure in the region.