Hundreds of wild boars stranded at Finland-Russia border

Up to a hundred wild boars have reportedly gathered along the Finnish-Russian border, unable to continue their usual migration route into Russia. The report, citing Finnish broadcaster Yle, was published by "European Pravda."

The wild boar habitat spans both Finland and Russia, with the animals normally feeding on the Finnish side before returning to Russia. However, the border crossing is currently closed after African swine fever was detected on the Russian side.

Concerns over westward movement

Anne Voivalin, head of the regional disease control center at Finland's Food Authority, said she fears the boars could start moving further west into Finnish territory. Strict restrictions are in place in the disease-affected zone, aimed at keeping wild boars contained and preventing them from spreading beyond the outbreak area. However, the animals could be deterred from moving by noise and human activity in the area.

To keep the boars from wandering off, authorities are currently providing them with supplementary feeding. Officials are also considering building a fence, though such a project would take several months to complete.

As a reminder, on August 12 Finland's Food Authority announced it would expand the zone where hunting and forestry activities are restricted, following the discovery of new cases of wild boars that died from African swine fever. The disease has spread from Africa to Europe and Asia, causing significant losses in pig populations, triggering trade restrictions and affecting global meat markets.