Warsaw faces rising wild boar population and safety concerns

Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski has addressed the rapidly growing wild boar population in the capital, which is estimated to be between 3,000 and 7,000 animals. The city has seen a massive surge in reports, with approximately 16,000 incidents and 160 attacks on humans recorded between January and September 2026.

Due to regulations regarding African Swine Fever (ASF), the city is prohibited from relocating the animals outside of the urban area. Current laws limit the city's response to scaring, capturing, or culling the animals. Trzaskowski noted that while culling is a difficult decision, resident safety is the priority, especially when animals appear near playgrounds or busy streets.

In addition to human safety concerns, the boars are causing an increase in traffic accidents; collisions involving wild boars rose from 95 in 2022 to 341 in the most recent year. The city is now seeking legislative changes to provide better management tools, as current Polish and EU regulations restrict effective relocation and contraceptive options.