Group of hunters with dogs and shotguns kills 'giant wild boar' on farm in Minas Gerais

Warning: strong images - g1 Espírito Santo — Photo: Disclosure

With its expansion across several regions of Brazil and the risks to biodiversity, the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) authorized control of the species in 2013. The objective of technical control is to contain the animal's multiplication. Hunting requires authorization (learn more below).

According to Cristiano Mendonça, a trainer accompanying the group, the boar was killed last month after being spotted in a crop field . The hunters followed it in a vehicle and used a flashlight at night.

The animal was shot with a shotgun after a vehicle chase. This was the third large boar the team had killed in four months. The group is registered as Collectors, Sport Shooters, and Hunters (CACs).

The wild boar can be considered "giant" because, according to the booklet "The wild boar: Standards and control measures", produced by Ibama, an adult animal weighs approximately 80 kg, with a length of around 1.3 m.

In April, another 190-kilo boar was killed after being hunted in a cornfield in the same region .

At the request of a farm manager, the hunters left João Pinheiro for Paracatu with eight dogs. In the morning, the hunters first shot a smaller boar. Later, during the same hunt, they killed the 190-kilogram animal with six shotgun blasts. Watch the video below .

Capturing the animal required the assistance of trained, GPS-guided sniffer dogs. After traveling 5 km through the forest, the boar was killed.

The slaughter was carried out by the team authorized as CAC, at the request of farmers who suffered losses due to crops destroyed or consumed by the animals.

According to Ibama, to control wild boar, it is necessary to register with the Federal Technical Registry and obtain the corresponding Certificate of Regularity. Next, a handling permit must be requested. If firearms are used in the slaughter, they must be properly registered with the Army.

Wild boars (Sus scrofa) belong to the Suidae family. They are wild pigs native to Europe, North Africa, and Asia that entered Brazil over 100 years ago. They were bred for consumption, but many escaped and interbred with domestic pigs. This led to the emergence of the wild boar, a larger and more resilient hybrid.

Wild boar are classified as one of the 100 worst invasive alien species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This means they are among the main threats to biodiversity worldwide, hindering efforts to preserve ecosystems.

Without natural predators, wild boars reproduce uncontrollably and are considered a pest. In addition to destroying crops by trampling or digging in the ground in search of food, they also impact the environment and cause losses for small farmers.

Currently, there are records of these animals in fifteen Brazilian states, including Minas Gerais and Goiás.

*Intern under the supervision of Caroline Aleixo.