3 Years of Wild Boar Safety Measures: 1,758 119 Dispatches with a Decreasing Trend Since 2019
More Than Half Occur in Mountain Areas... Continuous Increase Since July This Year Compared to Same Period Last Year
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] From 2019 to 2021, wild boar appearances were most frequent in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, and the number of fire department dispatches due to wild boar sightings reached 284 cases up to October this year.
On the 30th, the Seoul Fire & Disaster Headquarters analyzed and announced statistics on wild boar safety measure dispatches over the past three years to provide citizen safety information in response to the recent consecutive appearances of wild boars in urban areas. According to the Fire & Disaster Headquarters, there were 1,758 wild boar safety measure dispatches from 2019 to 2021.
The number of dispatches by year was 740 in 2019, 576 in 2020, and 442 in 2021, showing a slight decrease each year. By location, mountainous areas, the main habitat of wild boars, accounted for 881 cases, exceeding half of the total. There were also many cases of wild boars appearing in apartments, residential areas, and parks adjacent to the mountains, requiring careful attention from residents.
By region, Eunpyeong-gu recorded the highest number with 313 cases (17.8% of the total), followed by Gangbuk-gu with 271 cases, Nowon-gu with 237 cases, and Dobong-gu with 208 cases. This year, the number of dispatches up to October was 284, a decrease of 112 cases (28.3%) compared to the same period last year. However, since July, there has been an increase of 51 cases (61.4%) compared to the same period last year.
In fact, on the 18th of last month, a wild boar suddenly appeared at the 00 Sports Center in Hongje-dong, Seodaemun-gu, causing all citizens inside the gym to evacuate. The wild boar was captured by the rescue team from Eunpyeong Fire Station that was dispatched. The Fire & Disaster Headquarters urged special caution from citizens, noting that from October, when the breeding season begins, through December, as winter approaches, the activity of male wild boars increases, leading to more frequent appearances in urban areas.
Additionally, in case of encountering a wild boar, citizens are advised not to scream or provoke it with threatening behavior, not to turn their back and run, and to seek cover behind nearby trees, rocks, or other concealments.
Meanwhile, when a wild boar sighting report is received, the 119 rescue team is dispatched to implement safety measures and, if necessary, cooperates with the wild boar safety measure teams operated by autonomous districts and the police for joint response. Hyeon Jin-su, head of the Disaster Response Division, stated, “Seoul Fire will do its utmost to ensure citizen safety through prompt 119 dispatches upon wild boar appearances,” and added, “Please be sure to familiarize yourself with safety rules in case you encounter a wild boar during hiking or walking.”
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