Nakdonggangcheong Promotes Prevention of African Swine Fever Spread in Wild Boars

Operation of carcass search teams and focused inspection of barrier fences, etc.

The Nakdong River Basin Environmental Office announced on the 20th that it will implement ‘spread prevention measures,’ including organizing and operating a search team for wild boar carcasses to prevent the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF).

This measure follows the first confirmation of ASF in wild boars in the Busan area on December 21 last year, and mainly includes ▲operating carcass search teams ▲strengthening management of barrier fences ▲proactive response through intensive capture support.

The Nakdong River Office has hired 15 members for the carcass search team and will conduct continuous searches of major mountainous areas around the affected regions starting from the 20th. By early detection and proper disposal of abandoned carcasses, the spread of the ASF virus will be blocked. Additionally, to expand carcass searches throughout Busan, more search team members will be hired and operated.

Management of the wild boar barrier fences installed around large-scale pig farms located in Muan-myeon, Miryang-si, Gyeongnam, will also be strengthened. Joint inspections by related agencies will be conducted more than twice a month to check for fence damage and gate management status, and any deficiencies will be immediately supplemented to prevent the spread of ASF to pig farms.

Support for intensive capture to reduce the habitat density of wild boars will also be provided. From March to May, the birthing season, the reward for capturing adult wild boars (body length 120 cm, weight 60 kg or more) will be increased from 200,000 KRW to 300,000 KRW to encourage active participation of hunters in capture activities.

Meanwhile, ASF (African Swine Fever) is a viral disease that occurs only in pigs and has a mortality rate of up to 100% upon infection, causing enormous damage to pig farms. Also, due to the characteristics of the ASF virus surviving for several days to months in feces or blood, it is known to have a very high transmission rate.

If you find a wild boar that is immobile or dead while hiking, do not approach or touch it, but check the address of the discovery location and surrounding conditions and report it to the Environmental Office or the local government in charge. A reward of 200,000 KRW will be paid for carcass reports regardless of ASF infection status.

Director Choi Jong-won said, “We will make every effort to prevent the spread of ASF confirmed in wild boars in the Busan area,” and added, “We hope that local governments, related agencies, and pig farms will also thoroughly implement measures and quarantine management to prevent the spread.”